


That Would Be Enough

by KrazyKaitie



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: ALL ABOARD THE ANGST TRAIN, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Frisk Uses Sign Language, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Mute Frisk, Sign Language, Slow Burn, WE DO NOT DESERVE SOMEONE LIKE PAPYRUS HE'S TOO SWEET, and she's literally the coolest friend ever, and they're a total dork, come join me in the trash, dadster is the best gaster, gaster is such a sweetheart and a gentleman kill me, gaster's a literal sweetheart, like literally the slowest of burns i'm not kidding, reader identifies as female, sad dadster, you'd best gird your loins because you're in for one hell of a ride son, your best friend is a tree, your other best friend is a bat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-19 07:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 92,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7352299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrazyKaitie/pseuds/KrazyKaitie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You were just trying to write a school paper about the Core and who made it. And yet it seems no one remembers who did make it, or how the Core even came to be. You didn't expect to be contacted by the very man you were looking for, nor did you expect wanting so badly to rescue him from the Void itself and bring him back into existence. You don't know if you're doing it to prove something, you don't know if you feel like you're responsible for helping him. You do know, however, that he's been alone in the darkness long enough.<br/>You didn't plan for this to happen, you didn't ask for it to happen to you, of all people.<br/>Are you sorry it did? Do you regret your actions, your decisions?<br/>Not one bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting something on AO3! I am literal trash and this started out as something to be completely self-indulgent and then decided, "hey I should actually make this into a thing because there's no going back now." So ya know, it's a thing now. Lots of things are going to be happening *steeples fingers* come join me in Gaster hell.  
> Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and if you see any mistakes, please let me know!  
> EDIT: Added just a little bit near the end of the chapter. I forgot to put it in because I'm a professional.

It took you at least two and a half weeks of research, begging King Asgore to let you look at the Core, and saving money to have supplies, but you did it. You were going into the underground. You and King Asgore came to an agreement about the Core situation; you were allowed to look at it, but you needed an escort. You understood his caution of allowing any human near the Core, but you were glad he made an exception with you. It’s just for research, for a stupid school paper that’s going to be forgotten as soon as it’s graded.

But here you were, stuffing your things into your pack and triple checking everything to make sure you didn’t forget anything. You weren’t sure how long you were going to be underground, interviewing monsters and the such. Heck, you might not even be there long, but it never hurt to be prepared.

You had your sleeping bag, a small but comfortable pillow, lots of snack foods and water, a change of clothes, an empty sketchbook, two notebooks with a small handheld notepad, and several recorders. Whatever you wouldn’t be able to write down would be recorded. You sigh and look through everything again, just to be extra, extra sure. And when you are, you give King Asgore a call and let him know you’re on your way.

It’s a short, pleasant conversation and you find yourself smiling when you hang up, heading out your dorm and off campus to your car. You start it up and begin the quick drive to Mt. Ebott.

You find a place to park your car for the next day or two and walk the rest of the way to the mountain. You didn’t expect King Asgore himself to be waiting for you outside, but there he is, all tall and smiling. You only met him once before, and that one time never let you get used to just how tall he is. Despite the clear height difference, he smiles tenderly at you and greets you with a one armed hug.

You return it, smiling brightly at him. “Good afternoon, Your Highness! Thank you so much for letting me do this. I know I said it a hundred times before, but I wanna tell you in person that I promise I won’t do anything to the Core. It’s all just research.”

Asgore gestures for you to follow and he leads you into the mountain, into his castle. He says, “And I will forever be grateful for your promises, my child. You have a good, honest heart, I can see that.” He smiles a tired smile at you. “You must forgive my caution of asking you to have an escort.”

“No, no, it’s alright, really. I completely understand why, sire. If anything, I’d save looking at the Core for last, really. I wanted to interview a few monsters about it first. Speaking of…” You hesitate to reach for your notepad and pen. “If it’s not too much to ask---I---I know this is last minute and everything, but… would it be alright if I interviewed you about the Core? You and a few other monsters were here the longest, and you were there for the creation of the Core, so…”

Asgore chuckles, “Of course, my child. You may interview me over tea. Only if I may ask you a few questions as well.” You’re guided into a large, bright throne room absolutely filled with flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The most frequent flower you see, however, is a particular golden flower.

“Yeah, sure! It’s only fair that you get to ask me some questions too!” You grin as you follow him to a small table. You sit and pull out a recorder and your notepad as he prepares the tea for you both. Using just a simple fire spell that still entrances you, he heats the kettle and pours you a cup first, then himself.

“Careful, it’s still hot,” he says as he sits. He sips his tea with no problem, however. He must not be bothered by hot things, perhaps a species thing? You’ll have to ask him about that later. “Now, what is it you would like to know about the Core?”

“Well… everything, really,” you laugh sheepishly. You notice a plate of cookies and reach for one when he nods. You take a bite of one and your eyes widen. They’re so good! You feel a sort of… warmth taking over. All previous worries you had are now gone. You’ve finished three cookies before you realize your face is probably filthy with crumbs and wipe your mouth.

Asgore is simply smiling. “Have you ever had monster food before?” He asks, snacking on one of the cookies.

“Well… not really,” you admit, “I honestly try to save my money and… hardly ever splurge on stuff. So it’s just cheap noodles and such for me right now until I’m out of college and land a decent job.” You sip at your tea. It’s just as good as the cookies. Not as sweet, but you still feel just as warm and happy. You’re careful not to gulp it all down, however. It’s still hot and you knew you’d have to pee something fierce later if Asgore kept refilling your tea cup.

You put your cup down and write something in your notepad, then start your recorder. “So, about the Core…” you start, looking at him. He nods for you to continue and you do, “what exactly can you tell me about it? What does it do?”

“Well, I should start with the fact that I’m no scientist,” he chuckles softly, “but I do know that the Core was meant to power the entire underground, and it did! For the hundreds of years we were here it has never failed us.”

“Wow, that’s… amazing. What’s it made of? How does it collect power?”

“It converts geothermal energy into magical electricity. I am unsure of the process, honestly, but it has always been imperative to be extremely careful when traversing around it. I’m… I sadly can’t recall why at the moment.” He taps his chin, then shakes his head. “Anyhow, due to the fact that it is so close to lava, it has the danger of overheating. And so Ice Wolf and his family have always taken care to throw ice into the river so it may traverse to the Core and help cool it down. There are other processes to cooling it down as well, such as ice monsters using their magic, but this is the most commonly used method.”

“Interesting…” You stuff another cookie into your mouth and scribble more notes down. “Can you tell me who made the Core? Are they around somewhere? I tried finding them online but I couldn’t… find anything…” You look up and nearly drop your pen at the look on Asgore’s face.

His expression turned to one of great pain. Not physical, no, no. He looked so… so heartbroken. You immediately stop your recorder and reach across the table. “You---Your Majesty? Sire??” He’s crying. “Asgore!” He snaps out of it suddenly and looks at you.

“Oh, goodness, my child, I… I’m sorry.” He wipes his eyes and looks down. “I don’t know what came over me, I just…” He places a paw to his chest. “I felt so sad all of the sudden… I don’t know why. Forgive me for worrying you.”

“No, it’s alright, really. I think that’s enough questions about… that for now.” You lean back in your chair, never taking your eyes off him.

“Thank you, I… I appreciate it.” He smiles a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. He sips at his tea and looks at you again. “Now, is it my turn to interview you?”

“Oh, yeah! Sure!” You smile again and rest your forearms on the table. “Ask away, Your Majesty!”

He asks you a plethora of questions. What you were majoring in in college, what you liked to do, what your favorite type of tea is, stuff like that. You answered them all with enthusiasm. You majored in writing and recently started majoring in monster biology, while minoring in art and monster history and culture. You wanted to become a professional story writer, and you started taking classes about monsters because you wanted to add them into your stories.

You’re so curious about monsters and their home and culture, you wanted to know everything about them. You talked so quickly and eagerly, gesturing this way and that. Asgore listened and watched you gesture about, smiling brightly at your energy.

You stayed for just a little longer after your rant, finishing a second cup of tea and a few more cookies before finally excusing yourself. You only had so long until the break from classes was over, and as much as you’d love to talk with Asgore more, you had a very important paper to finish. He lets you leave after exchanging phone numbers and escorts you out the castle.

You were glad you dressed light, because Hotland lived up to it’s name. You take a quick chug from your water bottle and start exploring, taking pictures with your phone here and there. You run into just a few monsters and humans lingering about, chatting away while some sold their wares.

You approached a couple---a human female and fire elemental, and smiled. “Excuse me, ma’am?” They both looked at you. “Uhm… Miss Fire Elemental---sorry, what’s your name?”

“Oh! Her name’s Ena. And I’m Suzie.” Ena’s ‘hair’ makes a soft cracking noise. “Is there something you need, miss?”

“I was hoping I could ask Ena a few questions, if you don’t mind.” You place your recorder in your shirt pocket and pull out your notepad and pen. “I was wondering if there was anything you knew about the Core and who made it?”

Suzie looks at Ena. She brought her right fist by her head and poked her index finger upward.

***Do you understand sign language?*** She tilts her head.

“Yeah, sort of. It’s been a minute, so if it’s okay, could you sign a little slowly?” You smile apologetically, but she waves it off and signs slower for you.

***It’s alright, dear. Now, who made the Core?*** She taps her chin, looking thoughtful. Her hair crackles and pops and her face turns into a light shade of blue. She’s clearly frustrated with something. ***I… I can’t seem to remember. I feel like I should know who, but nothing comes to mind.*** She presses her fist to her chest, moving it in a circular motion. ***I’m sorry. It’s been there for as long as I can remember. I can’t recall who made it.***

“That’s alright, thank you so much for your time.” You smile. “You two look adorable together.”

Ena’s hair makes a fwooshing sound, her face turning blue. Suzie just giggles and pecks her cheek. “Thanks, dearie.” You wave at them as you walk away and sigh, writing in your notebook.

You’re sure Ena didn’t know because she seemed quite young. Even though monsters had a much longer lifespan than humans, you felt like she wasn’t there for the creation. Still, the underground wasn’t that big. Everyone seemed to know… well, everyone. So someone had to know the creator of the Core, right?

Still… Asgore’s reaction had you concerned. Did he know the creator? He couldn’t seem to remember, though. You frowned as you look over your notes and sigh.

You’re walking down an empty path when you feel… strange. Like you’re being watched. You look behind you but see no one. You turn back around, half expecting someone to be in front of you now, but no one’s there. You can’t shake the feeling the entire time you’re exploring, asking other monsters you run into about the Core. Every single one of them had the same answer.

The Core has been there for as long as they can remember, but they can’t recall who made it.

You let out a frustrated groan and look through the pictures you took. Most were of the cavern walls and the lava below and some of monsters. You delete a few excess photos. You head towards an elevator, pressing the button and waiting for it.

This is getting so frustrating. How could _no one_ know who created the Core? Let alone remember how the Core came to be? There’s no way it just materialized there on it’s own. Someone had to had made the blueprints, there had to be _a team_ to help create that thing.

_Give up. You’re not going to succeed._

Your grip on your phone tightens and you close your eyes.

_You don’t think hundreds of people before you have tried to find the creator and failed? What makes you think **you** will do any better?_

You bite back angry tears and take a deep breath. “I can do it…”

_No you can’t. You will fail. Just like you have before._

“No I _won’t_. Not this time…” The elevator arrives and you hastily step in. You’re not paying too much attention to which button you press as you flip through pictures to distract yourself and you look up once to realize you pressed R1. You look back down at your phone and blink, squinting at a particular picture you took. In it is some humans interacting with a spider monster selling some baked goods, but there’s something in the background.

You can barely see it, but… it’s there. A figure. Of a man? It’s so faded and glitched you can’t tell and when you go to another picture and back, it’s still there. Definitely not a trick of the eye. You continue staring at the picture while you wait, your brow furrowing. Who in the world was that? Is it just your phone being on the fritz?

You look up as the elevator dings and the door opens. You step out, and you get that feeling of someone watching you again. You look around. There’s no one here. No one except… one person. They lacked any sort of color. They were… grayscale. They’re holding something in their hand, and looking at is makes your stomach turn over. You sneak a picture of them when you think they’re not looking and approach them. You start your recorder and get your notepad ready.

“Excuse me, Mx?” They don’t look at you. “I was… I was hoping I could ask you a few questions about the Core and who made it?” You notice them twitch and suddenly, the thing in their hand smiles.

They look up. It looks like a shadow is covering their… face? All you can see is their smile. They start talking. Their words playing out as if they’ve practiced it before, “Alphys might work faster. But the old Royal Scientist, Doctor W.D. Gaster?” You blink and start writing as fast as you can. “One day, he vanished without a trace. They say he shattered across time and space.”

They pause and you look up. Their smile got bigger. They start laughing in a creepy monotone voice, “Ha ha… how can I say so without fear?” They look at you. “ _I’m holding a piece of him right here_.” Before you can say anything, they vanish. You let out a shaky breath you didn’t realize you were holding and look at your notes, circling the name _Doctor W.D. Gaster_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly? I didn't expect this to get as much attention in the short time it did, but I'm so glad you guys like it!  
> Now come dive deeper into the rabbit hole with me.

Doctor Gaster… the old Royal Scientist…? You bite your lip and pull out your phone. Asgore had to know him. He _had_ to. You try calling him, but there’s no answer. You try again. Nothing. You try texting him, but the message fails to send. You frown and mutter, “Seriously?” You put your phone away and start exploring again. You don’t run into as many monsters or humans on this floor, and when you ask any of them about a Doctor Gaster, none of them know who or what you’re talking about.

You kept trying to contact Asgore the entire time, but for some reason your phone's call and text feature decided to stop working. Every now and again it would emit a weird static, but after just a second it would stop.

When you’re sure none of these people can help you, you decide to go back to the elevator---the monster never came back, you noted---and take a break before continuing. You eat a snack and sip at some more water, reading over your notes. You stare at the name for a long time, then write something under the name, _Wingdings._ Doctor Wingdings Gaster.

You blink, staring at the name. Wingdings…you’re honestly not sure how you made that deduction, but reading the name altogether  it… it feels right. You get that weird feeling of being watched again and look around. No one is there. You decide to call for the elevator and finish off one of your water bottles as you wait. When it arrives, you step in and stare at the buttons again.

You decide to press L3 this time and wait. It dings and the doors open. You step out, looking around. Immediately, you see another grayscale monster, just like the last one. You take a picture of them, start your recorder, and approach.

“Hello?” You kneel to their level. They’re not looking at you. They’re staring at nothing, their face completely devoid of emotion. You continue, “Do you… know a Doctor Gaster?”

Their mouth opens. They mumble something at first, but then speak up, their words sounding like they’ve practiced saying this over and over, just like the last monster, “It makes sense why Asgore took so long to hire a new Royal Scientist. After all, the old one… Doctor Gaster. What an act to follow!” They don’t sound as enthusiastic as they should have. As you write down their words, they continue, “They say he created the Core. However, his life… was cut short. One day, he fell into his creation, and…”

You look at them. They’re looking up now, craning their neck. They ask in a monotone voice, “ _Will Alphys end up the same way?_ ” You follow their gaze, but see nothing. You stand up straight and turn off your recorder, then take a few steps back. You pull out your phone again and take two more pictures of them, then pause.

You pull out one of your snacks and place it by them. “Thank you for your time, Mx.”  Then you continue onward.

You don’t notice they watched you walk away.

You find yourself at the MTT resort, and there’s a lot of monsters and humans relaxing there. You smile at the atmosphere, your tense shoulders relaxing some. You take the time to get a proper meal to eat, not realizing how hungry you are until you smell the good food. You notice some humans and monsters lying about, guessing all the rooms were full right now. Despite this place being called a resort, you’re sure they didn’t expect to have so many guests. At least they were nice enough to offer blankets and pillows. You find a spot to set up your sleeping bag and get comfy, sighing and looking over your notes again.

You decide not to look at the pictures right now. You’re not sure if you wanna see right before you’re going to take a nap. You put your things away and lay your pack next to you, plug your phone into your portable charger, then lay your head down and close your eyes. You let the quiet music and idle chatter lull you to sleep.

…

…

You’re not sure if you’re dreaming right now. Everything’s black, and there appears to be no floor, but your feet are touching _something_. You try calling out.

Nothing happens.

You blink and try talking once more and again, nothing happens. Suddenly, you hear something. Static. You try to search for the source, but all you see still is darkness.

And then… you see something. Something just far enough away you can’t see it, but close enough for you to know it’s there. You take a step forward, then another, then another. You walk towards the figure, but you don’t feel like you’re getting any closer. The static, however, is getting louder the more you walk.

Suddenly, you hear something.

 **[XXX XXX X XXXXXXXXXX XXXXX.]** It’s so garbled together with the static you can barely understand it. Even if you could hear the voice clearly, it’s no language you recognize, you’re sure you wouldn’t have been able to translate it. The voice continues talking, **[X XXXXXX… XXXX XXX XX XXXX XX XXXX XX?]**

You want to answer, to apologize, to tell the voice you can’t understand. But you can’t. Your walk breaks into a run. You run and run and run, trying to get closer to the figure, and---and it’s working! You keep going, so determined to find out who that is. Yet you feel like you already know. You feel the waking world tugging at your consciousness, forcing you to wake up.

You manage to get close enough to see a blurry white face right before you wake.

Your eyes peel open and you blink a few times to adjust to the lights. You look around, noticing a few other humans and monsters decided to follow you in suit and take a nap around you. You slowly sit up and rub your face, sighing. Pulling out one of your water bottles, you sip at it and check the time. It didn’t matter too much since you can’t really see the sky, but you gauge that you slept for a good long while. Heck, it’s longer than the sleep you’ve been getting back at school.

You quietly pack up your sleeping bag and step around the other sleeping people, exiting the resort. You make your way back to the elevator, noticing that the grayscale monster and the snack you left for them is gone. You smile, you really hope they like it.

You enter the elevator and decide to go down just one floor and look at your phone. You chew at your lip, deciding you might as well look at the pictures of that little monster you too. Nothing seemed wrong with the first one you took before you talked to the little monster, but the second… the figure was there again.

You could see it a bit more easily this time. It’s definitely a man. He still looked glitchy and blurry, it was hard to tell what he was doing, but he seemed to be kneeling before the monster, looking at them. He had to be pretty tall if he was kneeling and the little monster still had to crane their neck.

You look at the last picture and drop your phone, an audible gasp leaving you. It clanks on the elevator floor and you hastily pick it back up. You’re so glad the case is a good one, there’s just a tiny scuff on it. You look at the picture again, feeling your chest tighten.

He was staring right at you. He had a small grin on his face, one eye drooping shut while the other was wide open. Two cracks ran along his… face? You’re not sure. You stare at his face until the dinging of the elevator made you nearly drop your phone again.

You step out and look around. Another grayscale monster rested there. They looked like… a sort of blob, phasing through the ground. It started smiling when you stepped out. You take your picture of them, get your notepad ready and start up your new recorder, then approach them.

“Hello,” you say calmly despite your stomach churning at their smile. “Do you know Doctor Gaster?” Their eyes locked on you, and their smile grew. They tilted their… head? Body? Anyway, they stared at you, sizing you up, then they stiffen and start talking. You get your notepad ready.

Despite their smile, their voice sounded monotone, just like the last two, “I understand why Asgore waited so long to hire a new Royal Scientist. The previous one… Doctor Gaster. His brilliance was irreplaceable. However, his life… was cut short. One day, his experiments when wrong, and…” They stopped. You looked up at them.

“And…?” You ask.

They hiss a laugh. “Well, I needn’t gossip.” You notice they weren’t looking directly at you anymore, but behind you. “ _After all, it’s rude to talk about someone who’s listening._ ”

You whip your head around out of instinct, but see nothing. You look back at the monster. With sluggish movements, you stop your recorder and pull out your phone. You bring up your front view camera and take a quick selfie. You made sure to get most of the area behind you rather than your own face.

You decide not to look at the picture right now. You take out one of your snacks and place it by the monster. “...Thank you for your time, Mx,” you say, trying not to let your voice shake, and you hurry back into the elevator.

You about had it with Hotland right now.

You go to L1 and start walking, passing by a few monsters that greet you with a happy wave and you smile back at them. When you’re alone, you look at your phone. There he is. He’s not hovering over your shoulder in a creepy way or is really close to the camera. He’s standing a respectful distance away, but he is still staring at your camera, and in turn, staring at you. His smile looked a little smaller than before, and he had a hand up. You notice the hole in his hand, but shake that off.

Was he… waving at you?

You look behind you again, as if that would make him appear. You frown. Maybe he’s not as bad as you originally thought. Now you feel like he’s trying to tell you something, but you’re not sure what. You sigh and continue onward, when you see a large lab to your left. You blink, making a bee-line for it and step inside. “Hello?” You call. No answer.

You step in further, hearing the soft _whirr!_ of the door closing behind you. You explore the surprisingly small lab, glancing at the notes and such. This couldn’t be Gaster’s lab. No way. If these were his notes then he wouldn’t have been forgotten. You scratch at your chin and frown. Who owned this lab, then? You notice one of the doors is ajar, leading further into the lab.

You feel your chest tightening. Something’s telling you not to go in there. Your phone started emitting static again, definitely not helping the twinge of fear you’re feeling right now. You chew at your lip, looking at the exit, then the dark hallway. You turn the flashlight on your phone on and start heading down the stairs. You notice another flight of stairs, and an elevator. You try pressing the button.

Nothing.

Guess it’s the stairs then. You head down them carefully. There’s little to no light in this part of the lab, so you try not to rush into things. Not to mention you felt… significantly colder than before. You keep going, determined to find out if anyone lived here. And if not? You’ll find out what happened.

One day you’ll truly damn your curiosity, but that won’t be today.

This part of the lab is rather big. As you continue to explore, you find several different rooms, one seeming to be an operating area, another a sleeping area, and a flower room with mirrors. You resist the urge to lay in a particularly comfortable looking bed and continue onwards down the hall.

You notice something, suddenly; a part of this wall looks new. You touch it. It’s not cold and it doesn’t feel like metal. Is it… wallpaper? Looking exactly like the rest of the lab? You tug and rip it off and when you’re done, you realize it was hiding a door.

Something tells you you shouldn’t open it. But you do. The static on your phone silences. You step inside and… honestly, it’s a right mess. Papers are scattered everywhere, there’s blueprints, folders, boxes filled with folders, vials of mysterious liquid, and a single computer. Everything is liberally covered in dust. You’re pretty sure no one has been here in a long, long time. You stand at the doorway for a moment, taking it all in.

You hold up your phone and take a picture of it all, making sure the flash was on when you did, then you proceed to get close ups of the paper and blueprint covered tables. You carefully pick up one of the blueprints, blowing the dust off and looking it over. You can’t read any of the handwriting on it, but you recognize these sketches, these outlines because you’ve seen the finished product before.

This is a blueprint for the Core.

This is Gaster’s room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)  
> Guess who's here  
> 8)

You look around the room, hoping that someway, somehow you could suddenly see him. But it’s still just you. You pull out your phone and look through the pictures. Most of them were just closeups of his work, so there’s no way you’d get a shot of him in these, but the one you took of the entire room… he’s there.

He’s not looking at you, he’s looking at his papers. You don’t know if it’s your phone actually getting used to taking pictures of him or what, but every time his figure in the pictures are coming out more clear. He looks really tall and… as if he’s having trouble keeping himself together, like parts of him are melting. He looks so… melancholy, looking at his old work. You don’t blame him. You’re not sure how long he’s been gone, forgotten, but it had to have been a very long time.

You were so afraid of him before, but now… now you want to help him.

You put away that thought for now and further investigate his lab, being sure to take care of his papers and not mess them up too much. As you look at his notes, you realize you recognized the font from somewhere, but you can’t recall. You stare at it, looking over the symbols over and over, muttering, “What language is this… what were you writing about, Doctor? Doctor… Wingdings Gaster…” You blink as it hits you. “Wingdings!” You exclaim, slamming your hands on the table. You flinch and look at the doorway, then back at the work. Wingdings, it’s written in Wingdings!!

You pull out your phone and notebook. You don’t question why you have wifi all the way down here. After a quick moment of tapping at keys, you find a sheet of the Wingdings font. You copy it down into your notebook, carefully sketching out each symbol. It’s a semi-long process that takes about ten minutes, but once you’re done you smile at your work and put your phone away after realizing the battery is low. Crap, you’re going to have to charge it soon, you’ve been abusing it too much in this short time. You put that mental note away and start translating the paper.

It takes a bit longer copying down one line and finding which word it was, but you manage. It looks like it’s just some notes about the Core. You then look at the blueprints of the Core and immediately start translating the notes on that. It’s a long, arduous process, but the end result is worth it because, oh man, these notes are so helpful!

It told you things about the core you didn’t even know. Not only does it collect geothermal energy, but in a case of an emergency, it can absorb the magical energy inside the mountain and convert it to magical electricity. Or the fact that Gaster had planned for it to have its own built in cooling system, but you’re guessing it didn’t last very long or work that well, due to the fact of Ice Wolf throwing the Ice Blocks to the river towards the Core. You read over the notes, underlining and circling specific parts, having a certain shine in your eye and a big smile on your face.

You’re doing this… you’re doing this! You’re not going to fail, you’re _not._

You take one last clear picture of the blueprints and decide to finally look at his computer. It’s practically a dinosaur, heck, it’s a miracle it even turns on. But it does, and it looks like it had shut down when Gaster was in the middle of writing something. You immediately start translating it. It takes longer than before and you don’t know why. For some reason, looking at this makes your heartbeat quicken with fear and your hands shake.

Despite the present fear you feel, you read the translated entry.

…

_ENTRY NUMBER SEVENTEEN_

_DARK DARKER YET DARKER_

_THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING_

Your hands are shaking so bad now. Your breath is quickening and you don’t know why. Your phone starts emitting static again.

_THE SHADOWS CUTTING DEEPER_

_PHOTON READINGS NEGATIVE_

Your heart is pounding so fast, so loud, it’s ringing in your ears. Your chest is tight you can’t breathe. The static in your phone gets louder.

_THIS NEXT EXPERIMENT SEEMS_

_VERY_

_VERY_

_INTERESTING_

_…_

_WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK?_

You feel so, so dizzy and you don’t know why. Your knees buckle. You collapse on yourself and your head hits the cold, hard floor.

Everything goes black.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

You open your eyes to the sound of loud, erratic static. You blink, reaching up and touching your head. You felt something warm and wet and immediately panic sets in. Oh god, did your head split open? No one’s around and your phone---oh man, was there any way to shut off the damn static? You fondle around on the floor, trying not to move too much, and manage to grab at it---is it… is it typing something?

_TRY NOT TO MOVE TOO MUCH._

It takes you a minute to process the words, they’re all wobbly and blurry and won’t stop moving. Your phone starts typing something again.

_BREATHE SLOWLY. DO NOT PANIC._

You do as you’re told, taking slow, deep breaths. Your phone tells you to keep your eyes open, and you try, you try so hard. Sometimes they flutter closed, but the sudden loudness of the static wakes you.

_CAN YOU MOVE?_

You move your other arm, slowly propping yourself up on your forearm and try to keep your breathing even. You keep your head low as you manage to pull yourself up into a kneeling position.

_THERE IS A BOX OF GLOVES AND GAUZE IN THE CABINET TO YOUR LEFT._

_DO NOT MOVE TOO QUICKLY, BUT GO GET THEM._

You crawl over to the cabinet, using the light from your phone to guide you. You open the cabinet and---sure enough, there’s a box of latex gloves and gauze. You put your phone down and check the gloves and gauze. You’re too dizzy to question how the gauze and gloves are clean, but you grab them.

_PUT ON THE GLOVES AND THEN APPLY PRESSURE TO THE WOUND WITH THE GAUZE FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES._

You clumsily put on the gloves and find where your wound is, then press the gauze to it. You look at the time. You haven’t been out cold for that long, to your relief. And now you just needed to sit here for fifteen minutes. You still feel dizzy and tired, but you keep staring at your phone, waiting for more words to type itself, but nothing happens.

You open your mouth and mumble, “Hello?”

…

_HELLO, MY DEAR_ , your phone types out. You blink, staring at the device for a moment. Could it be…?

“...Doctor Gaster?” You whisper, “is this Doctor Gaster?”

…

…

_YES._

_GASTER IS FINE._

“Gaster…” You say slowly. You have to think long and hard about the words you want to say, the questions you want to ask. There’s so many---too many to process right now with you feeling so dizzy. You settle with, “How are you using my phone? And why now?”

There’s no response at first, but then your phone starts typing again.

_IT APPEARS I HAVE THIS SORT OF INFLUENCE ON ELECTRONICS._

_HOWEVER, I DID NOT THINK I COULD CONTACT YOU THIS WAY._

_YOU GAVE ME A FRIGHT WHEN YOU FAINTED AND STARTED BLEEDING. SO I MADE A GAMBLE._

You smile. “Well, I’m glad it worked out. Thanks, by the way.”

_YOU ARE WELCOME, MY DEAR._

…

_YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE COME HERE._

_IF YOU HAD BEEN CAUGHT, YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN DEEP TROUBLE AND POSSIBLY REMOVED FROM THE UNDERGROUND PERMANENTLY._

You huff a laugh, “Where’s the fun in being careful? You’ve been following me, haven’t you? I’m a sucker for danger and letting my curiosity take over. I wrestle at least three bears a week. I mean, look at these noodle arms of mine. So much muscle.” The static in your phone morphs and you think he’s making a disapproving noise, which only makes you smile bigger.

_PLEASE BE MORE CAREFUL, MY DEAR. I DO NOT WISH TO SEE YOU GET HURT._

You frown and glance away from your phone. You felt less dizzy now, at least, and the fifteen minutes were almost up too. “So… are you able to always talk to me through my phone now?”

_IF I CONCENTRATE, THEN YES, I MAY SPEAK TO YOU._

_…_

_I APOLOGIZE IF I FRIGHTENED YOU BEFORE. IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION._

“Oh, it’s… it’s alright,” you mumble, “it was… a little creepy, but then I realized you didn’t mean harm.” You pause, thinking your next words carefully. “Hey Gaster, I have a question for you.”

_WHAT IS IT?_

“What… what happened to you?” Your phone doesn’t say a thing for a long time. You wait an extra few minutes when the fifteen is up, then attempt to stand. Your legs feel heavy, but you manage to prop yourself on the counter. “Gaster?”

_I AM SORRY. I DO NOT WISH TO TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. IT IS… NOT MY FAVORITE SUBJECT._

“It’s alright. I’m sorry.” You groan and use your camera to look at yourself. Blood in your hair and all over your shirt. You looked like a murder scene. “Am I… gonna be okay to walk around now?”

_SO LONG AS YOU TAKE IT SLOW FOR NOW. KEEP THE GLOVES AND GAUZE WITH YOU. THERE IS A BATHROOM DOWN THE HALL THAT STILL WORKS, SO YOU MAY CLEAN YOURSELF. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THE WOUND._

_WHEN YOU ARE DONE SHOWERING AND YOUR HAIR IS DRY, I WOULD RECOMMEND WRAPPING THE WOUND UP._

“Okay… alright, cool.” Using the counters and wall as your support, you slowly step out of the room and head down the hall. “I… don’t think it’s going to matter if people knew I was here or not. They’re going to find out anyway.” You pause for a moment, then say, “my blood is on the floor, and the wallpaper used to hide your room---lab? Anyway, it’s all torn. Eventually someone’s gonna find out.”

_IF THAT IS THE CASE, I WOULD PREFER IT BE LATER THAN SOONER, IF THAT IS ALL THE SAME TO YOU._

“Yeah,” you chuckle softly. “So… would you be okay to talk about… the thing later, maybe? I wanna know the full story, if that’s alright with you.”

_YOU ARE VERY CURIOUS ABOUT MY PREDICAMENT, MY DEAR._

“I want to help you.” Gaster types nothing in response. You’re sure he’s either too shocked to say anything or too depressed, thinking it’s a lost cause to try and save him. You find the shower room and step in, turning the knob. Just like Gaster said, it still works. You put your bag down and start peeling off your clothes. Your shirt and bra took most of the damage with the blood. You’re gonna have to wash them big time when you get home. But the rest of your clothes seem fine.

You step into the shower and start to carefully wash your hair clean of the blood. You don’t hear any static coming from your phone, so you guess Gaster is somewhere else while you’re cleaning up. At least you hope so. Then again, with the way he words his sentences, Gaster didn’t really seem like the type to peep.

When you’re done, you step out of the shower and sigh, squeezing your hair dry and then---after realizing you have no towel to dry off with--- take the curtain down and use it to wrap around yourself. You pick up your phone and sit on the edge of the bath tub. You pick up your phone and ask, “Gaster? Are you still there?”

Your phone starts to static again. Quietly, but it’s still there. Your phone types out, _YES. I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU DID NOT RETAIN ANY SERIOUS DAMAGE FROM YOUR FALL._

You smile. “Thanks. It feels nice to be clean. Honestly, it’s been… a few days since I showered,” you laugh, “being a college student is so much fun.”

The static stutters and you guess that’s him laughing.

_I WOULD SCOLD YOU, BUT I HAVE DONE THE EXACT SAME THING, SO THAT WOULD MAKE ME A HYPOCRITE._

“There’s just not enough time to squeeze showering into your schedule when you have so many assignments to do!” You laugh louder this time and your phone stutters again. “Are you going to be following me for the rest of the time I’m under here? Are you only bound to the underground?”

_NO, I MAY GO WHERE I WISH. I AM… NOT TRULY HERE, IN THIS DIMENSION._

“What do you mean?”

_…_

_I RESIDE IN THE VOID… OR THAT IS WHAT I CALL IT AT LEAST. I CAN SEE MANY DIFFERENT TIMELINES, MANY DIFFERENT OUTCOMES OF THINGS._

“Oh…” Was all you could manage to say. “So, what made you come here, out of all the timelines you could explore, to see little ol’ me?” You ask after a brief silence. Your phone stutters as Gaster laughs.

_YOUR PERSISTENCE. YOU ARE A VERY CURIOUS HUMAN, TO BE STUDYING NOT ONLY THE CORE, BUT FINDING OUT WHO CREATED IT. MANY HAVE TRIED BEFORE YOU, AND HAVE GIVEN UP AND FORGOTTEN. BUT NOT YOU._

_YOU ARE INTERESTING. I WONDERED…_

He doesn’t finish. “Wondered what?” He doesn’t answer. “Gaster?” Silence. You decide to drop it for now and redress yourself, wearing the second shirt you brought with you and sigh. You decide to finish traversing the rest of the lab, then you should really leave this place and get the heck outta Hotland.

And so you do, plugging your phone into the portable charger and using the flashlight to help light up the dark, dark hallways. There’s not much left of the lab to explore, really, a few rooms, one in particular Gaster asked you not to look in. You decide to heed his wishes and continue onward. You find a giant machine resembling a cervine skull. You stare at it, mouth agape. “Wow…” You take a few pictures of it at different angles. “Gaster, what’s this?”

He doesn’t respond at first, then, _IT IS A DT EXTRACTION MACHINE. IT IS BEST IF IT REMAINS NONOPERATIONAL._

“Okay…” You’re not sure what ‘DT’ stood for, but you don’t think Gaster likes to talk about it, so you decide not question it too much. Besides, the sight of it alone makes you a little scared. With nothing else to explore, you finally head back up to exit the lab. The main part of the lab looked the same as before, meaning---hopefully---no one came in and found out you were down there. You exit the lab and head south, finding a person sitting in a cute little boat. They’re humming a happy tune as you approach them.

“Ah, hello,” They say in a sing-song voice. “Would you like a ride?”

“Oh, yes, please,” You smile at them.

“Where would you like to go, dear? Snowdin or Waterfall?”

“Uhm… I wouldn’t mind checking out Waterfall.” They gesture for you to climb aboard and you do, sitting behind them. They don’t move, they just start humming again and the boat starts moving. You look down at the water, smiling softly. You listen to the gentle song they sang as the boat road on.

_You can’t help him, you know_. You frown and hug your legs close. You don’t have time for this…

_You can’t even help yourself. How could you possibly hope to assist him?_

_You don’t even have a plan to help him, do you? That’s a shocker._ You close your eyes and take deep breaths through your nose, brows knitting down.

_I can’t wait to see you muck this one up._

“We’re here, dear,” the Riverperson says, tearing you from your thoughts. You look up and force a smile. “Come again, dear,” they hummed as you hopped off the boat.

“R---Right, thank you.” You turn and walk away, furiously wiping at your eyes, fighting the tears. You look up and take a deep breath, and then take your first step into Waterfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been quick to post these chapters, but from here on out, I'm gonna be a bit slower. Mostly because, while I know which main thing I want to happen where, I need to think of what happens in-between, think of when and where to introduce everyone else. And I don't wanna rush through it too quickly or spend too long on one thing, especially if it's not that important, but I also don't want to miss an opportunity to have something in the story that could be very important. I will do my best, however, to have at least one update every week! I can't promise it's going to be definite, because I also have school, but I do promise to try my best.  
> Stay awesome, folks! You're all wonderful!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You explore Waterfall and get to know a little bit about Gaster.

Waterfall is… there’s no words that can describe just how absolutely enchanting it is. The cool, quiet colors and gentle rush of water is such a change from Hotland. It really helps ease your nerves. You don’t run into as many monsters or humans here, and the ones you interview have the same answers every other monster has. You sigh and look over your notes. There’s no real point to keep asking all these monsters. They don’t remember anything about Gaster or his team or anything about the creation of the Core.

You decide to spend the rest of your time exploring Waterfall instead. When your hair is finally all dry, you haphazardly wrap up your head with the gauze. You find the echo flowers you researched so long ago and whisper encouraging things into them for the people who pass by and hear it. You find an opening in Waterfall that has a perfect view of Asgore’s castle and take a picture of it. You walk through an area that seems to have endless rain and carry a free umbrella with you, listening to the _pitter-pitter-patter_ of the raindrops hitting your umbrella.

You return the umbrella when you reach the end of the hall and find a statue. Inside a music box is playing. You take a picture of that too. You continue onward, finding an area where the water glowed and there were more echo flowers. You decide now is a good time to take a break, maybe sleep some, and sit down by some glowing mushrooms, taking out a snack and chewing on it. You bring out your phone. “Gaster, you there?”

A quiet static starts up. _YES. WHAT IS IT?_

“What made me faint back in… back there?” You ask, “when I was reading that… thing.”

A short silence, then, _YOU FAINTED WHEN YOU HAD A NEAR PANIC ATTACK. I SUPPOSE YOU WERE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU WOULD FIND IN THAT ENTRY AND SO YOU SCARED YOURSELF. THEN AGAIN, I SUPPOSE THE STATIC I MADE FROM YOUR PHONE DID NOT HELP YOUR SITUATION. I APOLOGIZE, I WAS HOPING TO TURN YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE SCREEN._

“Oh,” you frown, “well, that’s nice to know I freaked myself out from reading something.”

_YOUR OWN MIND IS YOUR WORST ENEMY._

You scoff a bit, “You can say that again.” You set up your sleeping bag and get comfy. You look at your phone again and say, “Hey, Gaster?”

_YES?_

“What do you like to do aside from sciencey stuff?” You ask, reaching into your pack and grabbing another snack. “Do you have any hobbies?”

Gaster doesn’t reply as quickly as before. Then he types into your phone, _I USED TO SPEND TIME WITH MY SONS, TEACHING THEM HOW TO DEFEND THEMSELVES, PLAYING GAMES, COOKING AND THE SUCH.  MY YOUNGEST, PAPYRUS… HE LOVED IT WHEN I WOULD READ TO HIM BEFORE BED._

_AND SOMETIMES I WOULD ALSO GO VISIT ASGORE AND HAVE TEA WITH HIM._

“Were you good friends with Asgore?”

…

_YES. WE WERE BEST FRIENDS._

_I MISS TALKING TO HIM..._

The corners of your lips twitch into a frown. “I’m sure he misses you too,” you say softly, “when I asked him about the creator of the Core, he started crying. He didn’t know why, but I think… subconsciously, he remembers you. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have reacted in such a way. So I think he misses you too.”

The static morphs again. You’re not sure what it means.

_THANK YOU FOR THAT, MY DEAR. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT MEANS FOR ME TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT._

You smile. “Anytime.” A short pause, then, “Don’t worry, Gaster. I’ll think of something to help you. I swear it."

_PLEASE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ME. BEING ABLE TO TALK TO YOU IS ENOUGH._

“But don’t you miss your sons and your friends? Don’t you want them to see you again---to _remember_ you?”

_...YES…_

“Then I will worry about it,” you finish eating your snack and huff, “for as long as I breathe, I will think of a way to bring you back, Gaster. You’ll see your sons again. You’ll see your friends again. They’ll remember you. You know why? Because you deserve to be happy as much as they do. You’ve been in the dark long enough.”

The static quiets. He types nothing in response. You frown and place your phone down. You lay your head on your pillow and mumble, “I promise I’ll find a way to help you.” Then you close your eyes and let the rush of water lull you to sleep.

Gaster remains by your side, sitting beside a newly sprouted echo flower that rested not far from you. He watches you sleep, listening to the flower whisper your words over and over, _I promise I’ll find a way to help you._

 **[There is no one who can help me, my dear. Why do you not understand that?]** His words fell on deaf ears. He frowns, looking at his melting hands. He just couldn’t understand what made you so determined to help him. He looks up and watches your soul shine brightly within you, staring at the red and the purple, at the bits of gray that dulled the glow of your soul. He stared at the cracks on the surface, at the colorless inside. Of course, the redness of your soul was the obvious answer, but he never could understand the determination of humans when it came to hopeless endeavors.

And this situation he's in... is definitely hopeless. Sans has tried again and again and again and it has never worked. It will _never_  work. Deep down one part of him knows that one day, you will forget him too, he will be nothing more to you than a series of dreams you’ve had, perhaps even an imaginary friend. And yet he still lingers by your side, he still communicates with you. Has he been that deprived of contact that he now speaks to a human girl he’s never met before? He gazes upon your sleeping form again. Why does he feel like you will do something different? Your words echo in his thoughts. He envisions the determined look you had, the flare in your eyes. And then he feels something. Something he hasn’t felt in a long, long, _long_ time.

Hope.

He reaches to your chest, and then his hand twitches back in hesitation. He then reaches out again and calls to your soul. You give hardly any resistance to his call. Last time he was unable to speak to you and had so little time. It has been a long time since he has tried entering the dream of another. Perhaps this time he will be able to actually speak with you.

…

…

You’re surrounded by blackness again, your feet touching an invisible floor. You stand there, staring, waiting, knowing that he’ll come soon. And he did. He’s a short distance away from you this time, and you walk to him. He stood tall and proud, at an astonishing seven and a half feet. Although Asgore is much, much taller, you’re still a bit shocked. You needed to crane your neck a bit to look up at him---you didn’t even come up to his shoulder! He… well, his face didn’t really remind you of a skeleton, but his hands kind of did. They’re not like human skeletons, but you’re pretty sure that skeleton monsters are radically different from humans. His one eye that was closed opened just a bit and you could see the tiny pinprick of light looking down at you. He smiles at you.

“Gaster?” You’re more relieved than shocked that you can speak in this dream.

His smile widens. **[XXXXX, XX XXXX.]** He frowns, then brings up melting hands. * **Hello, my dear,*** he signs. He presents his hand to you and you take it. It’s large and soft and warm and you find your hand lingering in his, not wanting to be rid of the warmth.

“How are we talking right now?” You ask. You see a certain shine in his one open eye and smile at his eagerness to answer.

***I called out to your soul and you accepted me. Since I am not bound to one dimension, I am able to touch your subconscious and enter your dream. During this time, I guess you could say we are connected.***

You blink. “Like… our souls are connected?”

***In a manner of speaking, yes.***

“Huh… that’s nifty.” You grin up at him. “So this is technically like… a lucid dream, yeah? Since I’m conscious and everything.”

 ***Technically yes. And you can do whatever you wish. It is a dream after all,*** Gaster signs. As an example, he steps to the side and there’s suddenly a table with tea and such on it. * **Join me for tea?***  he signs, smiling.

You nod and follow him to the table. He pulls out a chair for you and seats himself when you’re comfortable. You look at the tea and cookies, tilting your head. “This looks a lot of Asgore’s table back at the castle.”

 ***That is because it is,*** Gaster informs you when you look at him,  ***we would sit here and drink and talk and just… stop worrying about work for a spell. It was nice.***

You frown at his somber expression, then force a smile. “It’ll be alright, trust me.” You fidget with the cup when he doesn’t reply. You don’t drink the tea or eat the cookies. It’s a dream, you don’t need to do any of that. It’s just props. You look up at Gaster and open your mouth, then close it, then open it again.

“Hey Gaster?” He looks up at you and tilts his head. “If you can call to my soul and enter my dreams, why haven’t you tried with anyone else? To help them remember you?”

His face droops and he doesn't look at you at first. Then he lifts his hands, ***** **I have tried many times before, believe me. It nearly worked a few times, but… eventually I would be forgotten again. Perhaps I am meant to stay forgotten. Perhaps... I am not meant to exist anymore.***

“Don’t say that!” You startle Gaster into looking at you. “Do _you_ know that you exist, Gaster?”

 ***What---of course! What a silly question,***  he frowns and averts his gaze, ***b** **ut---***

“No. If _you_ think you do, then you do.” You smile. “And if it makes you feel better, I do too.”

***But no matter what I do---***

“It has to be because of you being in the Void. Something must be stopping them from remembering you. You said before that there’s a bunch of timelines, right? I think you not being in a specific dimension---a specific _timeline_ \---is interfering with it.” Gaster stares at you in stunned silence. “But it’s not gonna stay that way because I’m gonna help you come back, you got that mister?” He says nothing for a long, long time. He looks over your face, then glances down at your soul. It’s glowing so brightly with determination he has to look away. But he forces a smile for you, and thanks you for your kind words. You both sit there in silence for another spell, and then you speak again, deciding it best to change the subject.

“Gaster?” He nods for you to continue. “Could...could you teach me how to speak and read Wingdings?”

Gaster sputters in shock, completely losing all sense of control and concentration. He starts to melt right in front of you. Goop falls onto the table and around him and he’s losing form, but manages to regain himself. He smoothed out his turtleneck and looks at you. ***Forgive me for losing myself, I was just caught so off guard. May I ask why you want to know?***

“Well---I mean… i---it’d be cool to know! And… it could be easier for you to just talk in Wingdings than sign all the time because---I mean, can you speak my language?” You ask. Gaster frowns and shakes his head.

***I can read and write and understand it, speaking it however has always eluded me.***

“So yeah, there ya go. I mean if… if that’s alright with you, I… wouldn’t mind learning,” you murmur, finding your cup much more appealing to look at right now.

He taps the table to get your attention and nods eagerly, smiling. * **I would love to teach you, my dear,*** he signs, ***but now is not a good time, I believe. You will wake soon and I feel it would be easier to begin when you are back home.***

“Okay, that's fair,” you say, “but can you at least teach me how to say your name before I wake up?”

His smile strengthens. He says a word, and you listen carefully. He says the word again, and a third time. You try to copy the tone, to string the syllables together. You try not to fit the word into your own language, but to fit around how Gaster says it. You whisper the word under your breath, too embarrassed to have him hear you mess up, **[Gxxtxr… Gaxtxr… Gaster.]** You look up and grin, saying, **[Gaster!]**  He smiles a smile so big and proud he almost loses his form again. He claps and claps, so happy for you.

 ***Very good, very good! You learned a lot faster than I truly thought,*** he signs. A smile finds its way onto your features, growing so big it made your face hurt.

You feel that tugging sensation again, the waking world pulling you away from your dream. “That was fast… it hasn’t even been an hour, right?”

 ***Time has no meaning in dreams. Two minutes in a dream could be two hours in the waking world,*** Gaster signs to you,  ***d** **o not worry, my dear. I will still be here when you wake.*** You reach across the table and take his warm, skeletal hand. You give it a light squeeze and smile. He smiles back, and then you wake.

You check the time to gauge how long you slept. Another full night's sleep. You‘ve really been making up for those all-nighters back home. You pack up everything and stuff your trash into an empty pocket, then continue travelling deeper into Waterfall.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You make a few discoveries and meet someone new :)))

You push through some tall grass and find a pier. You walk across it, stopping only when you see another grayscale monster. They’re sitting on the edge, swinging their legs back and forth, their head hung low. You walk over, instinctively taking a picture of them, then sit next to them. You remove your shoes and socks and dip your feet into the cool water. You look at the small monster and tilt your head. You notice their eyes lacked pupils, and their face is expressionless.

“Hello,” you say quietly.

They flinch, clearly not expecting you to acknowledge them. Their brows furrowed and they lifted their head. With a shaky voice, they say, “Hello.” They don’t ask how you’re seeing them right now. Instead, they ask, “Have you ever thought about a world where everything is exactly the same… except you don’t exist?” They look at you, tears in their eyes.

 _You know it’d be better if you didn’t exist right?_ Your lips purse into a thin frown and you look at the monster child before you, forcing your own negative thoughts away.

They smile weakly. They’re not like the other grayscale monsters you’ve interacted with. There’s actual emotion in their voice when they talk, on their face when they stare at you with tear-filled eyes. “Ha, ha…” They laugh, the tears falling down their cheeks. They look away from you and stare at the water. “The thought terrifies me…” They whisper. You pull them into a hug before you could even think of it. They say nothing. After a minute, they bury their face into your shoulder, their tears soaking into your shirt. You pull them into your lap and start rubbing their back, letting them cry and cry and cry.

After what feels like hours, they quiet down. “You know… that made me feel better about this…” You let them pull away and sit by your side again---you notice they’re sitting closer to you this time. “Thank you.”

You smile. “You’re welcome, sweetie.” You pull on your socks and shoes again, then shuffle through your pack. A piece of the pier appears to be coming your way. That must be the way across.

“Please forget about me,” they say suddenly. You look at them. “Please do not think about this anymore, miss. It's better if I'm forgotten…”

You shake your head and place your last snack next to them. “I won’t. I won’t forget you.” You stand up, smiling softly. You step on the pier once it’s there and it starts taking you to the other side. You watch the little grayscale monster, waving at them as you do, until they’re out of sight. You step off the magic pier when you reach the other side and continue walking. You pass by more echo flowers and the Wishing Room. You wave and smile at other monsters and humans that greet you. Some even stopped you to ask about the bandage on your head, the sweethearts, but you assure them it’s nothing to worry about.

The closer you get to Snowdin, the more monsters and humans and stalls you see. You exit the cave and enter a much colder part of the underground. You’re pretty sure you hit Snowdin by now. You walk into the bright, happy little town, having a slight skip in your step as you’re happily greeted by some wolf monsters. You don’t notice your phone emitting static, but you did feel it vibrate in your pocket. You pull it out and look at the text.

_YOU ARE SHIVERING. YOU SHOULD BUNDLE UP._

You make a face and find a more private area to talk to… your phone. Goodness, you really hoped no one would walk in on you doing that. You walk behind a brightly lit house next to the… librarby, and lean against the wall. “I didn’t bring a jacket with me. It’ll just be a quick visit to get something to eat and then I’m gonna check out the Core.” You make sure to keep your voice down, just in case.

The static morphs, you’re sure that’s his disapproved noise.

_DO NOT LINGER IN THE COLD TOO LONG, MY DEAR. I DO NOT WISH TO SEE YOU CATCH A COLD._

“I’m starting to think you don’t wish to see me in a lot of situations,” you chuckle, “I’ll be fine. A few minutes in the snow won’t… be…” You trail off when you see a door not far off to your left. It’s cracked open. You glance at your phone, then back at the door and approach it. You peek through the crack. No one’s in there. Why did they leave the door open?

The static gets louder for a second to grab your attention.

_DO NOT GO IN THERE, PLEASE._

“Why? Is it your other lab?”

No response. You look inside again and squint, pushing the door a bit further open. The static gets louder again and you look at your phone.

_DO NOT GO IN THERE._

You look around, seeing nothing but trees. No one would see you peek in for a moment. And you’re not gonna pass out and bleed on the floor again, so it’ll be fine. Ignoring Gaster’s order, you enter the basement of the house.

The workshop---lab? You’re not sure---is rather small. There’s a counter with a blueprint on it, a few drawers, and something covered up with a sheet. The static is louder and you see Gaster typing protests to you, but you ignore him. You take pictures of the sheet covered thing and the blueprint, then start looking through the drawers. They’re not that full, one of them contained a badge, another had a photo album with people you didn’t recognize and a child’s drawing of three people.

One was drawn with a blue crayon, another with orange, and the final was drawn with a purple crayon. They’re all smiling. The purple one has… lines on their face. Is that… is that Gaster? The static had finally quieted down, Gaster stopped typing protests and demands to you. He’s eerily quiet. You’re hesitant to take a picture of the drawing, but you do, then you look at the back.

 _Don’t forget_ is written on the back. Is this… Gaster’s sons’ workshop? You carefully put the picture back and shut the drawer. You look over the blueprint again, unable to read what’s written on it, then you walk over to the machine and glance under the sheet. It’s some sort of… strange machine. You’re pretty sure you won’t understand what it’s supposed to be the longer you stare at it, so instead you take two or three pictures of that. You’re really going to have to look through your pictures and delete some. You didn’t have a lot of room left and you wanted to take a lot of pictures of the Core.

Speaking of…

You finally leave the workshop, carefully shutting the door behind you, and look at your footprints in the snow. Well, shit. You kick the snow around to hide your footprints until you’re in front of the house and keep walking. Gaster doesn’t say anything as you get something to eat and hang out in a bar to warm up and delete some excess photos you don’t need. He doesn’t say anything as you leave the bar and call Asgore, telling him you’re ready to look at the Core now.

 _“Ah, perfect timing! The escort I have for you is right here with me. Where are you so he may come pick you up?”_ Asgore asks.

“I’m in Snowdin right now. But he doesn’t have to pick me up, really, I can just take the boat back.” You’re already walking towards the Riverperson when you feel someone tap at your arm. You turn around and stare at the short, smiling skeleton in front of you.

 _“I’m afraid he’s already there to get you.”_ The short skeleton lazily waves at you and you wave back.

“I can see that,” you laugh, “well, thanks again for letting me look at the Core, Your Majesty. I’ll call you again when I’m done!” You hang up and present your hand to the skeleton, telling him your name and smiling brightly.

He grins and shakes your hand. “name’s sans. sans the skeleton.” His voice is deep and sounds very laid back. He points at the bandages on your head. “what happened there, kiddo?”

Oh, you completely forgot about the bandages. Your chest tightens in a panic. “Uh… I fell, duh,” you laugh a bit more nervously than you meant. “Tripped on my own feet and hit my head pretty hard. It’s alright, though, I was able to take care of it.”

The way he looked at you… you could tell he only half believed you, but he shrugged. “alright. want me to look at it? i’m not the best healer, but i’m sure it’s simple enough for me to fix.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay! You don’t have to. It’s not that bad, really.” You smile. “I appreciate the offer, though.”

“suit yourself, kiddo. you ready to get goin’?” You nod. “alright, come on.” He guides you away from the bustle of Snowdin and into a patch of trees where no one can see you. “best not to attract attention, teleportin’ away with a human girl, eh?”

Teleporting? Sans can teleport? You’ve never heard of that type of magic before. Your eyes widen and you gasp, “You can teleport?? That’s so cool! Is it an inherited trait among skeleton monsters or something you had to learn? Is it comfortable? Does it make you feel sick? Can… can skeletons _get_ sick?” You make a face at your own question, then look at Sans. A few beads of sweat formed on his head and he chuckled.

“you’re a curious one, ain’t ya? let’s see… it’s inherited among skeletons, you get used to it after the first few teleports, no, and yes skeletons can get sick,” he says with a shrug, “i’ll admit i got sick once while teleporting, but that was **ulna** because i ate too much beforehand.”

“ _Snrrk!_ Hahahaha, ohhh man, that was terrible!” You laugh and his grin widened.

“you found that one **humerus** , kiddo.” Your snorting laughter only made him keep going, “i’m glad it tickled your **funny bone**.”

“Oh my god, stop!” You lightly shove at his shoulder, wiping your eyes and quieting your laughs. “Take me to the Core, dammit!”

“and here i was hoping to tell you more of my hilarious jokes.” Sans holds his arm out to you. “hang on tight, kiddo. and i mean _tight_.” You step in close and practically cling to his arm. “please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times.” You giggle at his small jest. Suddenly, you feel a pulling sensation. You feel like you’re in an elevator that’s going down too fast. Everything around you is black and your stomach is churning over itself. The feeling is gone as soon as it starts and it takes you a minute to let go of Sans. He holds onto your arm as you attempt to stand on your own and take a deep breath. “That was… _wow_ ,” you grin widely at him, “that was so _cool!_ ”

“heh,” Sans chuckled, “i’d say it was pretty **hot** , if you ask me.”

“Okay, that one was really bad.”

Sans shrugs, grinning. “can’t blame a guy for tryin’.” Once you’re sure you can stand on your own, he lets you go and you start looking around. “take your time, kiddo. i got nowhere to be.” Sans stuffs his hands into his pockets and glances this way and that. You watch him closely, noticing he has a more… melancholy look. Why is that? Once he realizes you’re watching him, he’s all smiling again. You return it and turn away. You spend the next hour and a half looking at the core, taking pictures and writing down notes, and occasionally asking Sans some questions about it. He didn’t give a lot of new information you had, but he definitely knew his stuff. After another ten minutes pass, you manage to sneak a picture of Sans when he’s not looking, then you approach him, your notepad ready.

You’re sure he’ll have the same response, but you just have to try. Just one more time. Someone, somewhere, _had_ to remember. “By the way, Sans. You wouldn’t happen to know a Doctor Wingdings Gaster, would you?” You ask. He tries to play off a flinch, but you catch it. “He made the Core, correct? Do you know---”

“no, i don’t,” he interjects, his tone a bit harsher than intended. “i have no idea who you’re talking about.” His shoulders hunch up and he refuses to look at you. “are you done looking at the core?”

“Uhm…” You watch him closely, noticing the stiffness of his shoulders. He’s sweating a bit more, his smile is strained, and the lights in his sockets are gone. His eyes have gone completely black. “Y---Yeah…” You take his outstretched arm and hold on tight. He takes you back to Asgore’s castle and you look at him. He refuses to meet your gaze. The little lights in his sockets are back, but they're very, very dim. “Uh… hey, Sans?” You let go of his arm and place a hand on his shoulder. He tenses under your touch. “Thanks for uh… answering my questions. I’m… I’m sorry if I made you---”

“don’t worry about it,” Sans says, so quiet you almost don’t catch it. He steps away from you, and you let your hand fall to your side. He shoves his hand into his pocket and says, “see ya ‘round, kiddo.” He forces a smile for you---you know too well it’s fake---and he blips away.

You frown and start walking down the hall towards the throne room. You bring out your phone and look through the pictures of the Core you took, then linger on the one of Sans. Behind him stood Gaster, his hand resting on Sans’s shoulder. You stare at the picture as you enter the throne room. You frown, your brows knitting in minor frustration. Did Gaster know him somehow?

You scroll through the other photos and stop suddenly at the picture of the child’s drawing you took. You look at the figures in the picture. The orange one, the purple one, and the blue one. The blue one had a big grin that looked a lot like Sans’s. Then it hits you like a bus.

Sans is Gaster’s son.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS THING JUMPED FROM 55 KUDOS TO 88 IN THE SPAN OF LIKE A DAY AND A HALF I'M GONNA CRY I LOVE YOU GUYS.  
> You are all..... my precious chicken niblets...........  
> I'm also posting this early because I can and want to and I might be busy for a little bit with classes.
> 
> But hey! Chit-chatting with Gaster again for a bit! And then...
> 
> More lessons with Gaster!
> 
> You know how you try out a new language and everything seems alright at first and then you hit a new section and suddenly you're like, "What is this monstrosity I did not ask for this."
> 
> Yeah. Reader's feelin that.

You flip through the other pictures until you bring up the one of the workshop. Was… was that workshop _Sans’s_? That machine… what could it be for? Could he be trying to use that machine to bring Gaster back or something? You look up when you hear Asgore calling your name. He smiles at you.

“Ah, I thought I would be getting a call about your return, but this is okay too!” He notices the bandages on your head and hurries to your side. “Oh dear, are you alright? What happened, child? Did someone hurt you?”

“O---oh, no, it’s okay, really. I fell and hit my head, but it’s not that bad---” before you can protest further, your head feels warm, and you see a light emitting from Asgore’s paws. It’s over as soon as it started and he places a paw on your shoulder. “Uhm… thanks.” You smile. “It wasn’t necessary, though.”

“It’s no trouble, truly.” He returns your smile. “I would be devastated if I found out the injury was worse than it seemed.” You remove the bandages from your head as he asks, “how was your time underground?”

You grin widely and tell him about your experience. You leave out the interactions with the grayscale monsters and Gaster and the lab, but you tell him everything else. The people, the monsters, everyone was so nice and welcoming. You loved it. He asked you if you found what you were looking for for your paper and you hesitate, but you nod and force a smile.

You wanted to tell him so bad, you really did, but you stop yourself from doing so. You can’t bring yourself to tell him about Gaster, about how much he misses Asgore. Not yet at least.

You stay with him for a cup of tea and idly chat while you drink, then you thank him again for his hospitality and, after receiving a warm, loving hug, you make your way out of the mountain and to your car. The sun is high across the sky. Once you’re in your car and you attach your phone to the stand, it starts to static again.

_THANK YOU FOR NOT TELLING ASGORE._

“I just… couldn’t bring myself to do it.” You start the car and say, “he looked so upset last time I mentioned the creator of the Core… I couldn’t do it. And---oh god, Gaster, your son, Sans---I… I’m so stupid to not have known. I’m so sorry. I probably brought up such sad memories, I---” The static gets louder to silence you.

_DO NOT BE, MY DEAR. IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN. I KNEW HE REMEMBERED. HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT FULLY REMEMBERS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW OR WHY, PERHAPS IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DRAWING OR SOMETHING, BUT HE REMEMBERS._

“Still… I’m sorry,” you say softly. You start driving back home, both of you silent. You stop at a red light and look at your phone again. “Are you gonna keep following me, now?” You smile at the warbled sound it made.

… _IF THAT IS ALRIGHT WITH YOU._

“Of course! It’ll be like having a roommate.” You grin. “An invisible roommate, too! You can help me cheat on tests.” The static stutters in disapproval. “I’m joking, Gaster. Now hush, I need to focus on driving,” you laugh and start driving again when the light turns green.

You make it back to campus in one piece and head back towards your dorm. When you do, you realize that almost three days passed since your journey into the underground. It felt so much longer than that, but you didn’t complain. You pull out your notebooks, toss your pack onto your bed and make a bee-line for your laptop.

“Okay… time to start writing,” you mumble, “by the way, Gaster, try to keep the static quiet while I’m in my dorm. Don’t want anyone complaining about that and me having to explain about a monster that’s talking to me through my phone.”

The quiet static stutters, he’s laughing.

_I WILL TRY TO KEEP IT QUIET. ARE YOU BEGINNING YOUR PAPER NOW?_

“Mhmm. I’m not gonna be able to talk too much because I need to focus, so you can explore the campus or do whatever.” You smile and bring up a word document. You start with writing your outline, what you wanted to start with, possible titles for the paper, and what you wanted to include in it. You’re not sure if your teacher would like it if you focused your entire paper on Gaster, since there’s no records of him or anything, so you decide to write about him as minimal as possible.

Your room is darker by the time you finish writing out your notes and layout for the paper. The sun had almost completely setted. You turn on your lamp light, leaning back in your chair and stretching. “Okay… break time,” you sigh, then look at your phone. “Gaster?” No answer. “Hey Gaster, you there?” Silence.

You decide to take that time to make yourself something to eat. Of course, a very respectful student like yourself only dines on the finest of noodle cups and coffee with the most sugar and cream. You didn’t plan on getting much sleep tonight anyway, you had a lot of work to do. While you’re eating, you check your mail and assignments for your other courses.

You take mental notes on when to work on what, which one is more important to work on first, and which you can turn in early so you don’t have to worry about it. With the end of this spring semester coming up, you’re going to be swamped all to hell, you won’t have much time to think of how to help Gaster. Then you promised your grandparents to take summer courses as well so it could help you graduate sooner.

_You know eventually he’ll think that you forgot about him, just like everyone else forgot him, and leave you._

_All alone._

_Just like how---_

No. You’re not thinking about that right now. You close your eyes and take a deep breath, then finish your noodles. You sipped at your coffee as you stared at the bright screen of your computer. You then start to move all the pictures from your phone onto your laptop so you’ll actually have room in your photos again. You take a bit of extra time to look at the pictures you took to distract yourself.

When you finish, you start looking over your courses again, then sigh, half in relief and half in aggravation, as you hear the static come from your phone. Relief because you don’t have to look at this stupid assignment you have for the moment, aggravation because you know Gaster is going to scold you.

_IT IS BAD FOR YOUR EYES TO CONTINUE STARING AT A BRIGHT SCREEN, MY DEAR._

“Mmhmm,” you mumble, clicking this way and that, then get back to your word document. You do turn down the brightness some, however. “Where did you go, huh?” You look at your phone.

_I EXPLORED YOUR CAMPUS. YOU HAVE A VERY IMPRESSIVE LIBRARY AND SCIENCE LAB. I AM HONESTLY SURPRISED TO SEE THIS MANY MONSTERS HERE, TOO._

“What, did you expect more humans?”

_IN TRUTH, YES, I DID EXPECT MORE HUMANS. IT IS REFRESHING TO SEE MORE OF MY KIN OUT AND ABOUT. MAY I ASK HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE MONSTERS HAVE COME TO THE SURFACE? THERE ARE SO MANY TIMELINES, IT IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH SOME OF THEM._

“Uh… I think it’s about two years now, actually,” you say, tapping your chin. “This college is more open to monsters applying. I mean, we still have some problems with monster hate and stuff, but it's definitely not as bad as it is in some cities,” you say. You stare at your screen for another minute, then ask, “So when you say you can see every timeline, you mean _every_ timeline?”

 _YES. I HAVE HAD PLENTY OF_ **_TIME_ ** _TO LOOK AT QUITE A FEW OF THEM, BUT OF COURSE, TIME ITSELF IS ENDLESS._ You promptly ignore the horrid pun---could it even be considered one?---in his explanation as he continues, _THINK OF IT BEING LIKE A GIANT RIVER, BREAKING OFF INTO SMALLER RIVERS, AND THOSE BREAKING INTO SMALLER ONES, AND SO ON. I SEE EVERY POSSIBLE OUTCOME FROM SIMPLE INTERACTIONS TO DECISIONS THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD._

“There’s no like… _set_ timeline?” You lean back in your chair and sip your coffee. “Isn’t there a main timeline everything runs off from?”

_YES AND NO. IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN, BUT EVEN THE ‘MAIN TIMELINE’ SPLITS OFF._

“Huh, interesting. So nothing is set in stone?”

_WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS THE PAST. NOTHING CAN CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED. BUT THE FUTURE? THE FUTURE CAN CHANGE IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, THAT IS WHY THE TIMELINE BREAKS OFF INTO SO MANY SMALLER RIVERS. SOME OF THEM ARE EVEN STILL GOING TO THE POINT WHERE I CANNOT SEE THE END._

_DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?_

“I think so, yeah.” You pause, staring at the last bit of coffee you had. “So… you’ve seen this timeline, yeah?”

_I HAVE LOOKED MORE INTO IT NEAR THE END OF YOUR JOURNEY IN THE UNDERGROUND, YES._

“Do you… do you know if I can help you?” you find yourself asking, “do you know if… whatever I do works?” There is no response for so long, you decided to work on the first paragraph of your paper. You re-read and revised it several times and get to the second paragraph before you see your phone typing again.

_I HAVE SEEN SO MANY OUTCOMES OF THIS SPECIFIC SERIES OF EVENTS I AM UNSURE WHICH ONE THIS WILL TURN OUT TO BE. AND PORTIONS OF THE FUTURE FOR CERTAIN OUTCOMES ARE STILL UNCLEAR TO ME._

“Oh… okay,” You frown at your phone, then look back at your paper. You sigh and start working on it again, spending the next three hours writing, re-writing, deleting, drinking coffee, and getting scolded by Gaster. He tells you you should sleep, but you don’t have time for that nonsense. You have a mini-argument about how certain monsters---especially skeleton monsters---don’t need as much sleep as humans do and how it’s bad for your health to lose so much sleep. Your only counter-argument to every last fact Gaster tells you is that you have things to do and you don’t have time to sleep and you keep repeating that under your breath. You neared the end of the third page of your paper when you see Gaster typing to you again.

_ARE YOU GOING TO REST NOW?_

“Oh my god, Gaster. Stop being such a dad,” you groan, rubbing your face, “I have to finish this and turn it in so I don’t gotta worry about it later. I have too many other assignments to worry about sleeping.”

_THAT IS A SHAME. HERE I WAS HOPING TO MEET YOU AGAIN IN THE DREAM AND TEACH YOU MORE OF MY LANGUAGE._

You stare at the text quietly, your face unreadable for just a moment. You never expected Gaster to actually remember, honestly. You feel a tiny twinge of fear, but you hide it with a glare and a pout. “You’re doing that on purpose, you jerk.” The phone stutters in laughter and you huff, “...Fine, I got a lot done, so I guess how is a good time to stop.”

_GOOD. GO REST NOW._

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, I need to save all my work,” you mutter. You save your progress and set your alarm, then shove your pack off your bed and plop down on it. God, it feels like forever since you’ve slept in your bed. You wouldn’t be surprised if it’s been longer than you thought. But you lay in bed, mulling over your thoughts.

You’re going to be so busy with school for a while, when are you going to find time to plan to help Gaster? Heck, first you had to find out exactly what happened to him before you can even think about _that._ But you won’t give up---you _can’t_ give up. You’re so caught up in your own thoughts, you didn’t even notice yourself drifting off. Maybe it’s because you’re ‘waking up’ again. This time you’re in a familiar room. It’s Gaster’s room, from the lab, but it’s more brightly lit and clean. The papers aren’t scattered everywhere, no dust, no blueprints. Gaster turns away from his desk to you and smiles.

 ***Are you ready for your lesson, my dear?*** He signs. You throw him a pout and sit down in the spare chair he conjured for you.

“If I had known the great Royal Scientist was going to be such a jerk, maybe I would’ve picked a different piece of monster history to write about,” you say, but you smile, “then again, he doesn’t seem like a _total_ jerk.”

 ***Yes, how dare I ensure that you get your sleep. It is not like you clearly have not been sleeping much what with the circles under your eyes,*** Gaster signs back to you with an slight indignant stare. But he’s smiling too. He gestures you to sit closer and you do. He presents a book to you, a children’s book. You feel like you’ve seen it before.

You stare at the book, at the symbols and the pictures, and you start feeling significantly less confident in yourself. How in the world were you going to read this? It looked like everything was starting to morph together the longer you looked at it. Gaster placed a hand on your shoulder, tearing you from your thoughts, and then points to the first line and starts reading it aloud. Just like before, you try to copy him and read the words. You try mumbling it at first, but force yourself to speak louder when he asks. Whenever you would struggle with one word, he’d pause and tell you, ***It is using more of your throat and pitching your voice a bit lower than you usually do. Try again.*** And you would, and you’d get it right after trying a second time. Whenever you’d get a word right, he would smile a smile so full of pride and praise you.

He’s so patient, never scolding, never reprimanding you for getting it wrong. Maybe it’s because he noticed your tense shoulders. Maybe it’s because he noticed your fidgeting and the slight stutter you had in your voice. But if he did notice, he never pointed it out.

 **[The Ixxisixle… Invisible Boy,]** you read. Gaster is quiet, watching, smiling, allowing you to take your time. **[Wrixxen… written by Tr---Trudy Ludwig, illusxraxed---illustrated by Patrice xartxn---Barton,]** you sigh and purse your lips a bit. Gaster pats your shoulder encouragingly. You continue, **[can you xxx---see Brian, the invisible bxy… boy? Exe---even Mrs. Carloxxx---Carlotti has trouble notixing---noticing him in her clx---classroom. She’s too bx---busy with Nathan xxx---and Sophie.]**

Gaster claps and taps your shoulder so you look at him. ***Very good, very good!*** He signs, smiling brightly. ***You learn fast, my dear. I am truly amazed at how quickly you pick it up.***

You laugh, a hint of nervousness behind it, “I’ve… always been a fast learner…” You look at the text again, refusing to meet his gaze. Gaster doesn’t push the subject further and gently rubs your shoulder, then taps it twice so you can see him sign.

 ***That is enough for now.** **You did a very good job, my dear,*** he smiles at you, ***we may continue this further tomorrow night, if you are alright with that?***

You return his smile, even if yours is a bit weaker than you meant for it to be. “Of course. I’d love to learn more of it.”

And then your eyes are greeted by a tiny sliver of sunlight peeking through your blanket curtain. You reach over and look at your phone, groaning quietly. You woke up three hours before your alarm. Just perfect. You decide to turn it off for now and make some coffee to start the day. Gaster didn’t text you as you moved about your dorm. Nor did he text you when you started your laptop and poured an ungodly amount of sugar into your drink. You guess he’s off exploring again to give you privacy. You sip at your coffee as you open the word document, nearly jumping at the knock on your door. You hear a familiar voice calling your name and smile, walking over and opening your door. You’re greeted with a face full of leaves and lovely smelling flowers and being wrapped up in soft bark, twigs acting as fingers combing out your messy hair.

“All my assignments for the next week are done. Slowly but surely I will be free from this hell.”

You laugh and return the hug. “I have some catching up to do, but I’m glad for you, Begonia. Just make sure you study for the finals, yeah?”

“Uuuuuuugh,” Begonia groans and pulls away to look at you. “By the way, guess who’s moving in with me at my apartment next week?”

“Who?”

“Adrian! They tell me they found their true calling with video games and---let’s be honest here, we we really surprised?” You both laugh. You can’t argue with her. Adrian _loved_ the video games they found up here. It felt nice to be able to see them again, it feels like forever since you last hung out.

Then Begonia asks, “But hey, how was the underground? I’m sorry I couldn’t go with you. Assignments were really screwing me over.” You step aside and let her enter, opening the curtain and checking on the plant she got for you. In all honesty, it’s thanks to her that that little plant is still alive. She sits on the bed and looks at you expectantly.

“It was...” You trail off, shutting the door and sitting in your chair. You gulp down your coffee and sigh, “interesting, to say the least.”

“That sigh means ‘interesting’ isn’t the right word for it. Spill it, girl. Did something bad happen?” Even after two long years of being your friend, Begonia still knew you better than you even knew yourself. Probably better than you’ll _ever_ know yourself.

“Nothing _bad_ , really, but… it… ugh, it’s a really long, complicated story, Beggy. I don’t even know if you’ll believe me.” You rub your face and groan.

“Try me. I’m all ears.” She scoots to the end of the bed and waits for you to start.

You both have a staring contest, one waiting for the other to cave first. It’s not like you didn’t trust Begonia---heck, you trusted her with _everything_ . There’s a reason she’s your best friend. But something like this… you’re not sure if even she will believe you. No, you shouldn’t think like that about her. She’s your best friend, you trust her, you _trust her._ Finally, you cave and heave a sigh, then say, “Alright, alright. Get comfy, this is… gonna be a semi-long, hard to word story.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEST FRIEND IS HERE BEST FRIEND IS HERE BEST FRIEND IS HERE
> 
> BEGONIAAAAAAAAA
> 
> She's the best. I love her. I'm so glad I made her for this specific fic I have absolutely no regrets and I'm so excited to write her some more.
> 
> By the way here's my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/) I literally just post memes and stuff, but rarely I will post art and whatnot. But if you wanted to chat or anything, feel free to give me a poke!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Begonia's such a great friend ok I love her and I hope you love her as much as I do because she's awesome.
> 
> Also, the names for Muffet's treats are based off of spiders. I decided to use their scientific name because, ya know, it sounded cooler than peacock spider or something. If you're not a fan of spiders, don't look up the names, alright? Alright. Just wanted to let you know. I don't want you to freak yourself out because you were curious about what the name meant.
> 
> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)

You tell Begonia everything. You tell her about your meeting with Asgore, your time in Hotland and Waterfall and Snowdin. You tell her about the grayscale monsters, about Gaster and the lab, about Sans’s workshop. The more you talk the more tense you’re feeling and your hands start to shake and you’re starting to think that she’s just going to think that you’re crazy or something and maybe you are.

Begonia notices this and beckons you onto the bed and holds you close. You feel her fingers comb your hair and she hums to you, so gently, so quietly. You smell the flowers and the bark and listen to her song that she always sings to help you feel better. And you do feel better. You stay silent for a minute, just a minute, and then you continue telling her your tale. You stay in her arms as you talk, not wanting to leave her warm embrace yet. The only time she cuts you off is to ask about the head injury you got, but when you tell her Asgore healed it, she’s quiet the rest of the time. You show her the pictures of the grayscale monsters you took, of the ones with Gaster, of his room in the lab, of him standing by Sans.

“Gaster’s the one who made the Core…?” Begonia murmured, staring at the picture of Gaster in his room. “And he no longer exists? Man, that’s… that’s heavy.” She hugs you tighter. “That’s _real_ heavy.”

“Yeah,” you murmur, “I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I just… I want to help him, Beggy. He’s been gone for so long, watching timeline after timeline go on without him, I just…” You nuzzle your face into her shoulder. “I wanna help him, but I don’t know how. I don’t even know if whatever I do will work.”

“Hey, look at me.” Begonia takes your face in her hands and makes you look at her. “I’m glad you told me this. Like, really glad. This is a lot to deal with, especially with this semester nearing the end with all its finals and junk. So I’m gonna tell you somethin’, okay? Listen to me, girl.” You look at her, nodding.

“This Gaster guy, he sounds like a real sweetheart. When you tell me the way he talks and acts and treats you, I get that feeling. So don’t think he’s going to be upset if you take your time thinking of a plan. He’s waited _this_ long, he can wait a little bit longer, you feel me? Do you?” She leans closer and bumps her forehead against yours. “Dooo you?”

You laugh a little. “Yeah, I feel you.”

“There’s that adorable smile.” Begonia smiles and leans back. “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know, alright? And if you’re feeling down, you come to me, yada yada, you’ve heard this before. But hey, all seriousness, I’m here for you, Honeysuckle. And you know Adrian is too.”

You smile at the nickname. “Honeysuckle this time?”

“Gotta keep a variety, ya know?” She shrugs and lets you pull away and sit back in your chair. “You gonna get to work on your paper now?”

“Yeah, I wanna try to finish it today and re-read it tomorrow after class,” you sigh and stare at the word document. “You free? You wanna chill here for a bit?”

“Hell yeah. It’ll let me catch up on my reading. Let me go grab my book. Hey, you hungry? Have you even eaten yet? Uh huh, I’ll take that face as a no. I’ll go get you some food too, on me. Be back!” She left before you could even think of a protest.

You sigh, rubbing your face and staring at your laptop. You look back at your phone and fidget around. You had that weird feeling of being watched the entire time you talked with Begonia. So... “Gaster?” You asked quietly. A few minutes later, your phone starts to static very quietly.

_FORGIVE ME FOR EAVESDROPPING, MY DEAR. IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION._

_MISS BEGONIA SEEMS VERY NICE. I AM GLAD YOU HAVE A FRIEND LIKE HER._

You smile. “Yeah, I got really lucky to land someone like her. She…” You pause. “She’s helped me through a lot,” you say, quieter this time, “she’s a really great friend.”

_THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR._

“Are you gonna stay? Or…”

“Who ya talkin’ to, Honeysuckle?” You jump and swirl your chair around to glare at Begonia.

“Don’t do that! You know I startle easily.”

“Crap, man. Sorry. I thought I was being loud.” Begonia hands you a bagel and sandwich, then plops down on the bed. “But seriously, who were you talking to?”

“Uhm…” You glance at your phone.

_NO, MY DEAR. I WISH FOR YOU TO HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH YOUR FRIEND._

_WE CAN TALK LATER._

“No one, now.” Begonia gives you a look and you groan. “I was talking to Gaster. He left to give us some privacy.”

“Aww. See, he’s a total gentleman.” She grins and opens up her book. “Lemme know when you feel like setting your computer on fire and we’ll head out to get some cupcakes.”

“You just want to flirt with Muffet some more.” Begonia doesn’t say anything in response. She doesn’t need to. The little roses sprouting on her leaves is enough.You smile, deciding not to tease her not anymore and get back to writing your paper.

You both sit in relative silence, doing your own thing. Sometimes Begonia will start humming or singing softly when you start shifting in your chair a lot. When she does that it helps you sit still again and relax. You get through another page and sometimes ask Begonia to look at it for any mistakes and she does, more than happy to help. It stays that like for almost an hour, until you stop suddenly. You’re trying to find a way to end the paper, but you’re having more trouble than you thought.

You tap at your desk and swings your legs this way and that and decide to do a few of your other online assignments due by the end of the week. Just a few simple discussions, you finish those in about thirty minutes. Now you’re looking at your writing assignments, running your fingers through your hair. You only fell a little bit behind but it felt like so much more than that.

_You’re too far behind you might as well just give up now and fail. It’s what you do best, you know._

_You know you’re not gonna pass any of these classes right? What’s the point of continuing to try?_

_Just give up._

_Stop pretending you care._

You stand up abruptly and start changing out of your pajamas and into a simple pair of shorts and a shirt. Begonia looks at you questioningly and all you say is, “I wanna leave.” And she’s up. You grab your bag, taking out the bloody shirt and bra and stuff it into a smaller shoulder bag. You grab your phone and your wallet and some pocket change for the laundromat. You walk with Begonia to her apartment so she can get her things together too, and then you both start walking, hand in hand.

Begonia doesn’t need to ask to know you were starting to upset yourself, she just _knows_. She doesn’t take you to the bakery right away, she walks around the block first and talks to you about random things. How Adrian is excited to see you guys again, the moving day---you offer your help for when Adrian comes to move in---things like that. It helps take your mind off things.

You both finally head for the bakery and you smile as you enter. You loved the atmosphere of Muffet’s little bakery, not to mention the decorations. Little webs and toy spiders sprinkled here and there along with the mixes of red and pink and purple made it stand out more than most bakeries. And let’s not get started on the baked goods themselves, all of them spider themed and absolutely adorable. Your favorite was her Latrodectus cupcake.

Muffet had just finished helping a customer when you two approached the counter. She smiled and leaned on the counter with one pair of arms. Another pair of hands laced together and propped themselves under her chin while the final set simply rested at her sides. “Hello, dearies, what can I get for you today? The usual?” She asked smoothly, giving you a patient smile and then winking at Begonia who grinned so wide and failed at stopping the roses from budding on her head again.

“Not today, little Daisy,” Begonia said, leaning on the counter as well while you looked at the baked goods. You noticed Muffet’s eyes shining at her nickname. “I’ll have your pastry of the day this time. What about you, Honeysuckle?” Your friend looked at you and waited.

“Mmmm…” you looked at a particularly colorful cupcake and said, “how about the Maratus Volans?” You looked at Muffet.

“Oooh, good choice. I’ve gotten nothing but happy reviews about that one~” Muffet grabbed your cupcake and her pastry of the day---which you noticed was a donut called the Missulena---and handed the donut to Begonia. She added a few sprinkles to your cupcake and then handed that to you. She knew you two too well to know you’ll both be devouring it as soon as you left. She punched a few keys into the register and Begonia noticed the ‘employee discount’ she put in.

“Employee discount today? What’s the occasion, Daisy?”

“Can’t I be generous to my favorite customers?” Muffet giggled, “that is… unless you want to owe me something later~”

Begonia hummed. “Depends on what I’d owe you.” She leaned against the counter again and you rolled your eyes, walking towards the exit. You noticed them talking for a bit longer before Begonia paid and walked away with so many roses budding from her head and down to her shoulders she was starting to shed petals.

“What do you owe her?” You ask, smiling at the look on her face. She mumbles something you don’t quite catch. “What?”

“A date,” she says louder this time as you exit the bakery. “Next Friday when she gets off work. We’re gonna go have dinner together.”

“That’s great! It’s about time you two got moving, yeah?”

Begonia chuckled, “We have been moving kinda slow for monster standards, huh? At time same time we’ve both been busy with school and work, so---still!” She huffs and eats her donut. You take a bite out of your cupcake and---oh man, it’s just as good as you expect it to be. You can feel the magic in it tingling on your taste buds, your heart fluttering with joy and---

“Jeez, your soul is practically a beacon now,” Begonia laughed, gently nudging you with her shoulder. You smile, your cheeks turning a soft red.

“Is it that obvious?”

“It’d be obvious to a monster that can’t even see souls as well as everyone else.” She nudged you again and you nudged her back. “It’s a good thing. Daisy probably sensed you were having a bad time and decided to help with that.”

“I’ll have to thank her for that later, that was really… **sweet** of her.” You grin at Begonia, watching her process the horrid pun.

“I’m disowning you as my friend," she mutters. You laugh and nudge her.

“Come on, it was funny!”

“You’re dead to me.”

“Beggy---” You hear a _bop bop bop BOP BOP!_ You look ahead and manage to gauge for one second that someone is sprinting towards you, then _\---WHAM!_ They practically tackled you to the ground, smearing the last of your cupcake onto your shirt. Your elbow collided hard with the concrete and then your back hit it the ground. “Ahh!”

“NYEEEH!” You heard the stranger yell.

The leftover roses on Begonia’s head wilted and fallen off and thorns had started growing on her arms. “Yo man, what’s your damage?!” She shouted, grabbing the stranger and yanking them off of you. She was by your side in an instant, glaring at the stranger that tackled you. “Watch where you’re going!”

You look at the stranger and---a skeleton? Not like Sans. This one was taller, their face had a different structure from Sans’s. They rubbed at the back of their skull, mumbling a few, nyoo hoo hoo’s and looks at you. A split second later, you were picked up by the skeleton, your feet dangling just a few inches from the ground.

“OH MY GOD!” They---he?---shouted, “PLEASE FORGIVE ME, HUMAN! I WAS IN SUCH A RUSH I WAS UNABLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO MY SURROUNDINGS!” He carefully places you down and brushes you off, all while Begonia watched him with a wary glare. He noticed the icing and crumbs on your shirt and---oh no, was he about to cry? “OH---OH NO. I AM SO SORRY, HUMAN. I DID NOT MEAN TO RUIN YOUR SURELY DELICIOUS CUPCAKE! PLEASE ALLOW ME TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU BY PURCHASING YOU ANOTHER!” He grabbed your shoulders and gave you a look that made your heart ache. You glanced at Begonia---who calmed down---and she shrugged helplessly.

“It---It was an accident, man. It’s alright,” you say, placing a hand on his. “Really, you don’t have to---”

“BUT I DO! I CANNOT GO BY ANOTHER SECOND THINKING THAT I RUINED SOMEONE’S DELICIOUS SUGARY TREAT! IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD HAVE CRIED!” He gave you a light shake and started giving you a more pleading look. Oh man.

“I… I mean… sure, okay,” you find yourself saying, “if you really don’t mind…”

“OF COURSE NOT, HUMAN! THE GREAT PAPYRUS NEVER MINDS HELPING THOSE IN NEED! YOUR BAKED GOOD WAS FROM MUFFET, YES? LET US BE OFF THEN!” The skeleton---Papyprus. Why do you feel like that name is familiar?---took your hand and then Begonia’s and started dragging you both back down the sidewalk towards Muffet’s bakery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :))))))))))))))))
> 
> I hope I get Papyrus' personality down hhhhh he's such a sweetheart it hurts


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> GUYS GUYS GUYS SOMEONE DID FANART OF THE LAST CHAPTER I'M GONNA CRY IT'S SO CUTE AND GOOD [LOOK AT IT!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/post/147302862156/)
> 
> This chapter is literally almost 4000 words, I was gonna cut it in half because I usually wanted to stick with around 2500 but then it would feel like it dragged for too long and whenever I found a place to cut and start, it just felt too weird so ya know, ENJOY THIS SPECIAL LONG CHAPTER MY PRECIOUS CHICKEN NIBLETS.
> 
> Papyrus is so sweet I hate it how dare he be so precious and nice I love him so much.

As promised, Papyrus took you back to Muffet’s bakery, to Muffet’s happy surprise. She and Papyrus had a pleasant conversation and now here you are, holding a box filled with five cookies, five cupcakes, and five donuts, each one a different flavor with the special sprinkles Muffet put on them just for you.

“Puh---Papyrus…” you start as the three of you leave the bakery, “you really didn’t have to buy me all these treats. Just the one cupcake would have been fine…” You look at the box. You feel like you don’t deserve these. Papyrus spent so much money---even with Muffet’s employee discount, which made it subtract to a fair amount, it still felt like a lot of money to you.

“NONSENSE! I MUST TRULY SHOW YOU MY SORROW FOR RUINING YOUR DAY!” Papyrus opened his mouth(?) to say something again, but he stopped himself and looked at you. You shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. It felt like he was looking right through you, and you’re pretty sure he was! But he beams at you again after a second. “IT IS THE LEAST I COULD DO FOR YOU, NEW FRIEND!”

“Thank you, Papyrus. It was really sweet of you.” You smile at him and look at Begonia. “We should probably head to the laundromat now and get that over with.”

“Yeah. Don’t wanna be there all day.” Begonia checked the time, then stuffed her phone into her purse. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Paps, but we gotta get going---”

“OH! OH! LET ME HELP! NOT JUST AS AN EXTENDED APOLOGY, BUT AS AN ACT AS YOUR NEW FRIEND!” Papyrus looked at you expectantly and you blinked, glancing to your friend, then back at him.

“Uhm… I mean… I just need to wash some clothes, but uh… if you wanna come you can,” you say softly. Papyrus looks all too happy with your response and waits for you and Begonia to lead the way. And so you do. Only to be stopped within five steps.

“Human… did I do this?” Papyrus is staring at your scraped elbow. Oh yeah. That was kinda stinging now, wasn’t it? Everything went by so fast with so much adrenaline you completely forgot about it. It wasn’t as bad as it looked, but the blood made it look terrible. All dried and some more tiny red beads poking out. Papyrus looked so upset at this and quickly pulled you off to the side.

“I am so, so sorry.” In the five minutes of knowing him, his voice never sounded so quiet and soft. “I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He looked close to tears again.

“Oh, Gypsophila, it looks worse than it is, trust me.” Begonia gently pats his arm. “You didn’t mean it, it’s not your fault.”

“Yeah, really, it’s okay.” You smile at him. “I just need to put some ointment and a bandage on it---” Papyrus’ boney hand hovered over your elbow and his eyes started glowing a faint orange. You felt a warm sensation in your elbow, the same kind of feeling you had when Asgore healed your head wound, and then the stinging sensation was gone. Papyrus pulled his hand away and started tugging and pulling at his scarf, not meeting your gaze. You shift the box over and balance it on one arm to look at your elbow---all that it needed now was a washing and it’s alright---and then you look back at Papyrus. You smile softly, tapping his hand so he’d look at you.

“Thank you, Papyrus. It wasn’t necessary, but I really appreciate it.” Papyrus brightened at your words, standing more tall and proud now.

“You still wanna come with us to the laundromat?” Begonia asked. He nodded eagerly and you all started walking again. Within seconds, he was back to his loud, boisterous voice, telling you about how he knew Muffet through his brother and she was always so nice to him and even gave him baking tips but he’s more of a cook than a baker.

“So where were you off to in such a hurry?” Begonia asked as you three reached the laundromat. “You were running pretty fast.”

“OH, I GOING TO MEET MY BROTHER AND FRIENDS AT GRILLBY’S BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO EAT DINNER THERE. I HAD TO STAY LATE AT MY WORKPLACE TO HELP WITH A FEW EXTRA THINGS AND THEREFORE I WAS LATE SO I RAN. AND THEN I RAN INTO YOU, HUMAN! ...LITERALLY.” Papyrus holds the door open for you two to step in first and follows you to one of the machines. “I’M SURE THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THAT I’M BUSY HELPING MY REALLY COOL NEW FRIENDS!”

You shoot him a smile. He really is just the sweetest. “I’m flattered you think I’m cool, even if I am the opposite of it,” you laugh lightly and pull out your shirt and bra. Begonia went and purchased some stain-removal solution while you started counting change.

Papyrus nearly shrieked at the sight of your shirt, “OH MY GOD, HUMAN! WHAT HAPPENED?! DID SOMEONE HURT YOU?!” He grabbed you and started shaking you.

“W---Woah, Papyrus! It’s alright!” You grab at his arms. “It’s okay. I fell and hit my head and it got on my shirt, but it’s alright. It’s healed. I just need to wash the blood out, okay?” Oh man he looked like he was ready to cry again, oh no he’s just too sweet. “Hey, really, it’s alright. I’m okay. I just gotta wash my clothes, okay? How about you go sit down and have one of the cookies you got me and we’ll join you in a minute.”

Papyrus nods and takes the box, then finds an empty seat. He watches you closely, chewing at one of the cookies and you shoot him a smile before turning away. Begonia returns with the stain removal and helps you spray it onto your shirt and bra. “He’s such a sweetheart,” Begonia says quietly, “I remember running into him a few times underground in Snowdin, but never talked too much.”

“Hard to believe you don’t know him. I thought all monsters knew each other?” You look at her. She scoffs and smiles at you.

“Snowdin isn’t my favorite place. The cold tends to make me sleepy and a little irritable, remember?”

“Ooh, right, I remember now.” You look down at your shirt, frowning a little. “It’s so weird, though. I feel like I’ve heard Papyrus’s name before, but I can’t remember where.” You toss your clothes into the washer and get it started.

“Maybe someone talked about him?” Begonia asked. You shrug, and you both decide to drop it for now as you sit next to Papyrus. He happily offers you a donut, which you gratefully take and eat it. The flavors and magic in it leaves your chest feeling light and you find your smile brightening some. Papyrus especially looked happy about this and Begonia just grinned at you.

“Careful there, Honeysuckle, you might blind someone,” she comments. Your face darkens and you simply stuff the rest of the donut into your mouth. Maybe you shouldn’t have done that, because now you’re feeling so happy and worry-free it hurt, but you didn’t mind. You liked the feeling. It felt right. You decided not to eat anymore of the treats, though. Even if you wanted more, Papyrus had closed the box and set it aside. He gave you the biggest, happiest smile a skeleton ever could, and you knew he could see it. You return his smile and nod in thanks.

The three of you continue to sit there in silence for a few more minutes, until Begonia speaks up again, “Hey, Gypsophila.” She nudges Papyrus when he doesn’t look at her. “Where do you work?”

He visibly perks up at the question and says, “I WORK AT THE PET STORE! MY CO-WORKERS ARE SO NICE AND THE ANIMALS LIKE ME A LOT.” He went into a twenty minute long explanation about each animal he cares for and how great and adorable they are and by the time he’s done you’re tossing your now blood-free clothes into the dryer.

You listen to Papyrus spin his tale about how this one time there was a thunderstorm and the puppies and kittens got really scared of the loud noises, but the Great Papyrus comforted them and made them feel better. He tells you both that his boss said no other employee had ever been able to do that. You smile at the look on his face when he remembers that moment. He looks so genuinely happy and proud of himself it melts your heart.

You insert the change and start up the dryer, frowning a little bit. This entire time you’ve been trying to remember where you heard the name Papyrus. You make a face and start looking at your phone, when your eyes glance over the last text you received from Gaster. Gaster… you feel like you talked to him about Papyrus. Or at least he mentioned him… oh. _Oh._

You remember. Gaster mentioned how his youngest son loved being read to before bed. _Papyrus._ Oh man, how could you have forgotten?! You glance at Papyrus. He’s still telling Begonia about other pet store stories and you turn away, staring at the dryer. Your first thought was, _Did he know?_ Then you remembered Gaster mention that Sans was the only one who remembered. Unless he told Papyrus. Would he? You weren’t sure how close they were as brothers, really.

The last time you mentioned Gaster to his son ended terribly. You decide the best course of action is to not tell Papyrus and take your seat beside him again. You smile when he beams at you and he continues spinning his tale. You glance at Begonia who gave you a questioning look and nodded to Papyrus. You glance at him. He’s so into his tale he’s not paying _too_ much attention to you.

You lift your hand and start finger-spelling to Begonia, ***Gaster’s son.*** She blinks and looks at Papyrus, then you again and you nod and she makes a face that pretty much reads ‘oh jeez’ and leans back in the seat again. Papyrus finished his tale and started checking his phone, and then you notice his expression changing.

“OH! I JUST GOT A BRILLIANT IDEA!” He looks at you two, then continues, “HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN ME AND MY COOL FRIENDS FOR DINNER? I COULD INTRODUCE MY TWO _NEW_ COOL FRIENDS TO THEM!”

“Uh…” You and Begonia say at the same time. Begonia says, “I mean, I wouldn’t mind. But it’s all up to Honeysuckle here,” she looks at you, “what do ya say? It’s alright if you don’t wanna go.” Papyrus stared right at you and---oh man, he just looked so pleading and precious you couldn’t say no to him.

“I… well… sure, why not? I got some spare cash to spend,” you say, “I… I’m honored to be considered your friend. Especially since you’re the cooler one here.” You find yourself smiling at his reaction. You just couldn’t stay nervous around him.

“OF COURSE! I AM THE COOLEST, AFTER ALL! SECOND TO MY BROTHER, _HE_ IS THE COOLIEST,” Papyrus says in a matter-of-fact tone. You and Begonia couldn’t help but snort, but you were happy to see that the relationship between Papyrus and Sans seemed to be good so far.

With your laundry done, folded, and stuffed back into your bag, Papyrus began guiding you and Begonia to Grillby’s, talking ecstatically along the way. You remembered Grillby’s, you and Begonia had gone there between the times you actually had money to spend on more than just noodle cups. It was a nice place, you loved the atmosphere of it all, and everyone that went there was always so friendly.

When you arrived, Papyrus held the door open for you and Begonia to enter first, then stepped inside with you two.

The first thing you’re greeted with is a semi-packed bar. Mostly monsters, some humans sprinkled here and there. You felt your shoulders tensing a bit, and Begonia took your hand. The next thing you’re greeted with is someone shouting, “PAPYRUS! THERE YOU ARE YOU PUNK!” You see a fish-woman grouped with a smaller lizard, Sans, and…

“OH MY GOOOD!” You’re greeted with a face full of fur and scrawny arms wrapping around you and something leathery acting as a blanket. You laugh, feeling significantly less nervous, and wrap your arms around your friend. You feel Begonia being dragged into the hug too and it only made you smile bigger.

“Adrian, you ass! You never messaged me!” Begonia huffed, but nuzzled them all the same. Adrian just gave a crooked, toothy grin, and returned the loving nuzzles with their own, then released you both.

“I wanted to surprise you! But you weren’t at your dorm and Beggy wasn’t at her apartment, so I decided to get some food. Then I met these cool cats and it seems fate has decided that we do see each other today!” They look at Papyrus and their smile strengthens. “Paps! There you are! We’ve been waiting to order for you! I think Undyne was about ready to break the table in half,” they laugh.

“OH, HELLO ADRIAN! IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, FRIEND!” Papyrus pulled Adrian into his own bear hug and they laughed, patting at his back until they were let go.

“You know Papyrus?” Begonia asked as you all walk to the table. You glance at Sans and lock gazes for a full second before you look away, fidgeting with the hem of your shirt.

“Yeah! Unlike you, I _liked_ going to Snowdin,” Adrian commented, nudging Begonia.

“ _Excuse me_ for being a tree and not liking the cold,” she huffed, but nudged him back and smiled. You reached the table and the fish woman---Undyne, yanked Papyrus into a head-lock and started giving him the noogie of a lifetime.

“You little punk, you’re wicked late!” She let him go and crossed her arms, staring at Begonia, then you. “Who the hell are these two?”

“THEY ARE MY COOL NEW FRIENDS! I RAN INTO THIS ONE. LITERALLY.” Papyrus placed a hand on your shoulder and pulled you in front of him. “THIS IS… UHM…” Oh right. In all that time you never introduced yourself to him. You swallow the lump in your throat and stammer out your name.

“I’m Begonia. Nice t’meet ya,” Begonia said.

“YES! THEY ARE VERY COOL PEOPLE! I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO INVITE THEM TO DINNER ESPECIALLY AFTER I ACCIDENTALLY TACKLED THE HUMAN,” Papyrus rubbed at the back of his skull again, looking at you apologetically. You smiled and patted at his arm.

“Hey, it was an accident, it’s fine.” He immediately perks up and places you in the seat right next to Sans, who hasn’t said a word since he saw you. Begonia takes the empty seat to your left, and then Adrian sits next to her, and finally Papyrus sandwiches his brother between you and him. You glance at Sans, then at Undyne and the lizard monster. Grillby came by and handed you and Begonia ice water before walking away when another monster called his name. “It’s nice to meet you, Undyne and…” you trail off, looking at the lizard monster.

She fidgets around with a napkin, then looks at you. “A---Alphys. My nuh---name is Alphys,” she says quietly.

You give her a patient smile. “That’s a really nice name. It’s nice to meet you, Alphys.”

“It’s nuh---nice to meet you t---t---too,” Alphys returns your grin, her cheeks turning a dark red, and then looks back down.

You glance to Sans and tilt your head. He’s finding the ketchup bottle in front of him much more interesting right now. “It’s uhm… **ice** to see you again, Sans,” you said quietly, holding up your cup of water and forcing a smile for him. He glances at you and raises a bone brow. His own forced smile relaxed a bit.

“heh... **ice** to see you too again, kiddo. really **cool** of you to come with paps and **chill** with us,” he says. Everyone but you and Adrian at the table groans, except Papyrus. He’s screaming at Sans for ‘poisoning his new friend’ and shaking him so hard his bones started rattling.

“Hey, hold on a sec,” Undyne shoots you a look, “how do you know Sans, punk?”

Begonia leans forward against the table, resting her elbows on them and gives her a smile coated in poison. She says, “You’d best watch your tone around my _friend_ , Rafflesia.”

“Beggy,” you nudge her side harshly, “come on, she didn’t mean anything by it. She was just asking a question.”

“You can be so overprotective sometimes, girl,” Adrian nudged her too and she frowned, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. She and Undyne had a harsh staring contest, the table eerily quiet from the tension between them.

You cough and decide to speak up, “Sans was my escort when I was looking at the Core.”

“Oh, you were luh---looking at the Core? Wuh---What for?” Alphys asked, placing a clawed hand on Undyne’s. She tears her gaze away from Begonia to look at you.

“It was for a paper for my Monster Culture and History class. We had a pick a piece of monster history to write about and… well, I decided to research the Core,” you’re fidgeting with your napkin now, willing yourself not to look at Sans, “I had to practically beg King Asgore to let me look at it, but he let me as long as I had an escort.”

“Wait, you went to the Underground and never told me?!” Adrien’s fur puffed out and they pouted, “I would’ve totally gone with you! Well, gimme the deets, girl, what’s your opinion of it?” You shrink back a bit, laughing nervously and sipping your water. Everyone was giving you their full attention now.

You give them all a shy smile and say, “I loved it. It… it was beautiful. The monsters and the people there were so nice, and it was so fun to walk around and get pictures of it all.”

“What was your favorite place?” Adrian asks, resting their arms on the table.

“Definitely Waterfall,” your smile grows, “it was so calming and quiet and just… _enchanting_ , really. I loved the echo flowers and the atmosphere of the area. It was… relaxing. Definitely a change from Hotland.”

“UGH, _Hotland_ ,” Undyne leaned back in her seat, taking a big gulp from her drink, “Hotland is disgusting.” You couldn’t blame her for disliking hotland, what with the heat and her being a fish and everything. She shoots you a grin and a wink. “Good choice, though, Waterfall. Used to live there before I burned the house down.”

Before you could ask, Grillby returned to your table and signed something to Begonia. She grinned and elbowed him gently, then said, “I’ll take the usual, Grill’z. Honeysuckle?” She looks at you and you decide to order the same as her.

The rest of your evening was spent talking with the group of monsters and eating with them and hearing plenty of interesting work stories. You learned Undyne was a fitness trainer at the nearby gym, Alphys is currently studying multiple things at college, such as the development of electronics and engineering. When she starts talking about something she’s passionate about, her stammer is almost completely gone and she has this certain shine in her eye that makes you smile and Undyne look so proud of her. You learned not long after that that Undyne and Alphys have been married for about a year now.

Papyrus told you several more stories about work at the pet store and when it came to be Sans’s turn to talk about his job, he just shrugged and said, “i work here and there.” You wanted to know more, but decided not to push it. You tell the table about what you’re studying in school, about what you wanted to do. As nervous as you felt, all of them were quiet and patient, even Undyne. Begonia went into a short explanation about how she wanted to be a professional singer and actress, and finally Adrian said they wanted to play video games for a living.

“Wait, you can _do_ that?” Undyne asked, slamming her hands on the table. “That’s a real job?!”

“Heck yeah!” Adrian grinned, “it’s gonna take a bit, I need to look up some video editing softwares and everything, but once that’s all done, I’ll be set to go! For now I’m just delivering pizza.” They rested their hand in their cheek. “And maaaaaan, I got some stories for _you_ guys about the people I’ve delivered pizza to.”

The night ended on a happy note, with everyone giving each other their phone numbers and heading their own ways. Papyrus spent an extra minute giving you a big hug and promising to have a hang out session in the future. Adrian and Begonia walk with you back to your campus, talking animatedly about the move in with Begonia in her apartment. When you arrive at your dorm, Begonia and Adrian give you one last hug, and then they’re gone. You enter your dorm and sigh, kicking off your shoes and changing into your pajamas.

You were way too exhausted to work on the paper or anything, really, so you decide to lay in bed and look at your phone. “Gaster?” You whisper.

A moment of silence, then a quiet static erupts.

_GOOD EVENING, MY DEAR. DID YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY?_

You smile, “Yeah, it was _…_ wonderful, actually,” you laugh a little, “it's funny _…_ I barely remember ever having as much fun as I did today. Sure, there's moments with Beggy and Adrian that were really fun, but _…_ not like that.”

 _IT IS NOT FUNNY… IT IS SAD. BUT_ _I AM GLAD YOU HAD A GOOD TIME TODAY, MY DEAR._

Your smile widens a fraction, “It was good to meet them all. They’re really nice,” you sigh and turn to your side, “ _…_  hey Gaster, do you have any wacky work stories?”

 _WACKY WORK STORIES?_ the phone stutters in laughter, _I BELIEVE I HAVE A FEW…_

Gaster tells you of a few experiments he miscalculated on and the repercussions of them all and you’re having trouble keeping your laughter in. He tells you of some of his co-workers and the funny things they’ve done, of how Asgore came to visit one day right when an experiment went wrong and he had pink fur for about a week.

You fall asleep clutching your phone and smiling, actually looking forward to the next day for the first time in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ADRIAN IS HERE AND THEY ARE SUCH A DORK OK I LOVE THEM I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE MORE OF THEM TOO.
> 
> My arms may not be able to hold all these babies but I'll be damned if I won't try.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> You're swamped with work, so Sans takes you out to chill.
> 
> This chapter is just a little short, but don't worry, after next chapter things will be happening.  
> What kind of things?
> 
> You'll see ( ಠ◡ಠ )

You finally finish the paper and turn it in for grading. Even with that out of the way, you still have a plethora of assignments to finish now. Discussions, prompts, art projects, tests about monster history and species and types of magic. You’re so swamped with work you barely have time to talk to Gaster or  _ anyone _ for that matter. You feel bad that you’re not able to talk to your new found monster friends as much as you want to, but you text them when you can and Begonia and Adrian often visit to talk or just chill in your dorm while you work.

The last few weeks has been a process of wake up, go to your classes, go back to your dorm, work until it’s so late Gaster has to pester you to sleep, wake up, and repeat. Of course, in your dreams you get to talk to him and learn more of his language. You can almost hold a short conversation with him now and say simple sentences. You didn’t feel as nervous about learning his language anymore, and he would always look so happy and so proud of you when you read a passage with little problem.

As happy as you are with your new friends and your progress with learning Wingdings, spring finals are only a week away and you still have quite a few last minute assignments you need to turn in either finished, unfinished or just not turned in at all. And it’s obvious that you and Begonia are swamped with work when she stops coming. Adrian is also busy getting everything ready for the move after finals and finding good softwares to use, so they don’t visit you either.

You have this weekend off and you’re spending it rapidly getting multiple assignments done, barely leaving your dorm for anything. Gaster hardly talks to you and you really appreciate it because you have to focus on this particular test about monster magic. You run your fingers through your hair, looking through your notes and answering the questions.

By the time you finish the test you have two new texts.

_ Beggy: _

_ How’s school work goin hun? _

_ Sans: _

_ what’s happenin kiddo _

You glance at your computer screen, clicking on another assignment while tapping ‘reply’ to Begonia.

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ I want to get hit by a car and then trampled by a thousand bulls until I am nothing more than a pile of mush. _

…

…

_ Sans: _

_ jeez, that bad huh? _

Oh. You just accidentally texted Sans. Shit.You quickly tap at the keys again.

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ Crap, sorry, I meant to text someone else. _

_ Feel free to ignore that. Nothing to worry about. _

_ Sans: _

_ uh-uh, you ain’t gettin’ out of it that easy. you’re workin’ too much, aren’t ya? _

You don’t reply for a minute, frowning at the text.

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ Noooo… _

_ Sans: _

_ uh-huh. where are ya? let’s grab some grub. when was the last time you ate? _

…

…

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ I don’t remember. _

_ Sans: _

_ where are ya, kiddo? _

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ At my college. Hold on. _

You type the address to him and sigh, rubbing your face. Man, when  _ did _ you last eat? The mere thought of having food inside you made your stomach growl. You probably haven’t eaten in at least a day or so, maybe a day and a half? The weeks have been melding together, you barely remember what you had for breakfast three days ago. Probably noodles, again.

You groan, standing and pulling your pajama’s off---they’re really starting to smell funny, you remind yourself to wash them during the short break before summer classes---and put on some decent clothes. You brush out your hair and step out of your dorm after grabbing your wallet. Some time away from your work didn’t sound that bad, honestly. You were  _ really _ starting to feel swamped. As you walk out of the building, you check your phone.

_ Sans: _

_ here.  _

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ Which building? _

_ Sans: _

_ uh... i think it’s the main building. _

_ XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_ Alright, stay there. _

You make sure to text Begonia you’re doing fine as well and that you’re going to eat with Sans, and then pocket your phone when you see Sans waiting outside for you. Some students are staring at him, whispering. You can’t really blame them. There’s what? Two skeleton monsters in this entire town? You guess they’re just a very rare type of monster. You even notice a few art students walking right up to him and asking him questions.

When Sans sees you and gives you a lazy smile and a wave, awkwardly excusing himself from the mini-crowd forming. “sup kiddo,” he strolls right up to you and asks, “you wanna walk or you wanna take a shortcut?” He winks and you’re pretty sure ‘shortcut’ meant ‘teleport’. You smile.

“Honestly? I don’t know if my stomach would be able to handle a shortcut right now,” you laugh softly, “where did you plan on eating?”

“eh, just grillby’s if you’re cool with that. not many other establishments let me take advantage of a tab.”

“One day you’re going to have to pay it, Sans.” You give him a tired smile and start walking with him. He just shrugs at you and gives you his trademark grin.

“so what were ya workin’ on, kiddo?” He kicked a stray pebble in his way.

“The better question is: what am I  _ not _ working on,” you groan and rub your face, “I just finished a test about monster magic. But I still have so many other assignments to finish before finals and they’re next week and a few of them are online so it’s not that bad! But I have this art final I’m still not done with and it’s due Tuesday but I still have so much to do before I can even think about finishing it and---”

“hey, kiddo.” Sans reaches out and grabs your hand. His bones are warm, and softer than you imagined bones to be. “listen to me for a sec. you gotta take it one assignment at a time, ya hear? i know how it feels to be swamped with work. but ya gotta just worry about one for the moment, then the other when you’re done with that, et cetera et cetera.” You grip his hand tightly, letting his touch keep you grounded, letting his words keep your thoughts at bay. It comforts you. It’s almost like Begonia’s singing, but different.

“it’s always easier said than done, i know that, but it ain’t gonna work out if you don’t try, kiddo. ain’t gonna work out if you just give up, y’hear?” He asks, glancing your way. You nod quietly, your lips twitching into a soft frown.

“I hear you… it’s so hard sometimes, though… I just… I don’t…”  _ I don’t want to be a failure like I’ve always been. _ You don’t want to finish that sentence. But it seems Sans understands and he squeezes your hand gently. You look at him. He tilts his head and smiles at you.

“trust me, kiddo. i know,” it’s his turn to avoid looking at you, murmuring, “i know…” He perks up again when you reach Grillby’s. He pulls his hand away from yours and stuffs it back into his pocket, pushing the door open with his back and letting you step in. You follow him to the bar and sit in the stool next to him that’s near the corner of the bar. You order a burger and a plate of fries and Sans gets a bottle of ketchup.

You eat in relative silence when you get your food, enjoying the magic in it that made you sigh and smile and your soul flutter. Sans side-glanced your way, a soft, genuine smile on his face. It fell for a second and he looks off to the side, watching the patrons mingle with each other, watching Grillby get drinks together and hand them off to Tegu---a lizard monster---so she can give them to the patrons. 

He looks back at you, looking like he wanted to say something, then looks away again. You finished off your burger and wiped your hands and mouth, glancing at him and tilting your head. Was something bothering him? He’s fidgeting with his bottle of ketchup a lot. When you start eating your fries, he gently elbows you to get your attention. “hey, kiddo. about gaster…” You swallow the bite you took and chew at the inside of your lip. You watch him closely, noticing the smile looked a bit more somber than before.

“Y… Yeah?”

“i wanted to talk to you about that.” You look around. Is this really the best place to be talking about this? “don’t worry, grillb’z won’t eavesdrop, and this spot is pretty private,” he sips at his ketchup, staring at the liquor lined on the shelves. “so… how do you know about gaster?” You flinch, gripping your cup of water. You stare at it intently, finding it much more interesting than Sans right now.

He isn’t looking at you, possibly knowing that it would just make you more nervous. You force yourself to eat a few more fries and gulp down some water, then look at him. “I uhm… Sans, if you don’t wanna talk about it---”

“if i didn’t want to, i wouldn’t have mentioned it,” he says quietly.

“Maybe you just feel like you have to, though,” you counter, your tone just as soft.

He chuckles, his sockets closing, “maybe i do. but trust me, i do wanna talk about it. color me curious, if ya will,” his sockets open and he side-glances your way, “so… how do you know him?”

“I…” Should you tell him the truth? You weren’t sure how he’d feel about you telling him you went through his personal stuff. You’d have to tell him eventually, you know this. You wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt of not telling him about something like that. But… maybe you can just mention Gaster’s lab in Hotland for now. You stuff a few fries into your mouth to stall further and when you swallow them, you quietly say, “I… I found his lab…”

Sans says nothing. The lights in his sockets are so dim you have to look really hard to see them. But you’re not looking at him, you’re fidgeting with your napkin, folding it this way and that, trying to keep your hands busy.

“In---In Hotland I found that lab, and… I saw the door leading deeper in…” You saw his shoulders tensing. “And---well, my grandparents always said my curiosity would get me one day, so… you know,” you shrug and sip at your water, “I found the wallpaper covering the door to his room and… I found his notes and stuff… the uhm---the head wound I got? I… I sort of fainted and hit my head on the floor really hard. I---Sans, I---I’m so sorry I made you uncomfortable with my questions---”

“it’s alright, kiddo,” he looks at his ketchup bottle, “it’s just… not a fun subject for me. he was my mentor, y’know? i was his assistant. he taught me all about magic and science and everything.” He’s probably only half lying---he  _ may _ have been Gaster’s little assistant when he was younger---but you don’t say anything. You’re already treading on terrifyingly thin ice, you didn’t want it to crack and break beneath you with one wrong word.

“I’m so sorry…” you find yourself whispering. You reach over and take his free hand and he holds it tightly, like it’s his only lifeline. You gently run your thumb over the top of his carpus.

“not your fault kiddo,” he says just as quietly. Neither of you say a word for a long time. You pull your hand away when his grip loosens and you finish eating your fries. Slowly, Sans starts talking again and telling jokes that make you snicker, and soon you’re both laughing to the point you’re wiping tears from your eyes.

You want to tell him more about Gaster, about what you found and what you’re going to do, about how he misses Sans and Papyrus so much, but you decide not to push it further than you already have. You don’t want to ruin the delicate bridge of trust you created with him, so you keep silent. 

Half an hour later, he takes you back to your college and walks you to your dorm. He waves you off and blips away, and you step into your dorm. You kick off your shoes and rub your face as you sit in your chair again. Okay… one assignment at a time… first you’ll finish this last discussion post, and then you’ll work on your art project some more.  
You can do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, this is, has been, and ALWAYS WILL BE, a Gaster/Reader fic. The affection Sans and Reader display to each other is STRICTLY PLATONIC.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> We get to see a bit of Gaster's view in your little adventures while you have a nice anime marathon with some friends.
> 
> Also: grandparents!
> 
> I'll admit I had a little trouble with this chapter, trying to get it written out just right so I didn't have to revise it so many times AND so I can finally start things in the next one.
> 
> H u e. . .
> 
> THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POSTED TUESDAY BUT FUCK IT I WANNA POST IT NOW AND THEN THE THING WILL HAPPEN TUESDAY SO HERE. TAKE IT.

Spring semester is over. You have a week and a half to yourself and you’ve never felt so free. The first thing you do as soon as you’re finished, however, is sign up to keep the same dorm room. You then call your grandparents to talk about your summer classes. It doesn’t take you long to get that taken care of and when you get off the phone with your grandparents after promising to have breakfast with them tomorrow, you’re leaning back in your chair, staring at the ceiling.

A week and a half. You had _a week and a half_ to yourself. You could do anything you wanted now without worrying about assignments or tests or _anything_. You look at your phone when it starts vibrating and blink. There’s no number in the caller ID. Is it broken? You press the ‘answer’ button anyway and press the phone to your ear.

“Uh… hello?” You ask hesitantly.

 **[Hello, my dear,]** a familiar voice says. You couldn’t hide the big smile that formed even if you tried.

“Hey!” you lower your voice a bit, “I didn’t know you could _call_ me on my phone.”

 **[Xeither did I. Xou could sax I made axothex gaxble,]** he laughed quietly. He had a nice laugh. **[Are xou haxixg txouble uxderstaxding me?]**

“Only a little, but I’m getting enough to know what you’re saying,” your smile softens, “it’s honestly hard to believe I got almost two weeks to myself now, though… it felt like spring semester went on forever,” you sigh, pushing at one of your empty mugs with your foot, “I won’t have as many classes for the summer either, meaning I’ll have more free time between assignments. It feels… unreal.”

**[I, xor oxe, am glad xou have xore tixe to xoursxlf, my dear.]**

You chuckle, “I never said I wasn’t glad, you know, it just feels weird having less than four or five classes.” You hear something on his side and you think he’s going to say something, but he doesn’t. You sit up in your chair and stare out the window. With this free time, maybe you’ll actually be able to do some research to help Gaster now. You honestly weren’t sure how you were going to do it, but you were determined to help him.

You were so caught in your thoughts you didn’t even realize that Gaster had been trying to get your attention. “Sorry, Gaster, I guess I spaced out a bit. What’s up?”

**[Is exerxthxng alrigxx, my dear?]**

“Yeah, yeah, just thinkin’,” you rub your face, “sorry ‘bout that.”

**[It is xo trxxble at xll.]**

You smile softly and open your mouth to say something, when your phone beens. Call from Undyne? “Hey, hold on Gaster, lemme take this,” you answer the call from Undyne and keep your phone a slight distance away from your ear in fear of Undyne screaming. You say, “hey, Undyne, what’s up?”

_“What’s up, punk?! What’s up is that you’re late for the anime marathon!”_

“Wait, the what?”

_“DID YOU SERIOUSLY FORGET?! WE PLANNED THIS FOR A WEEK!”_

“Undyne, I’ve been super busy with finals for the past week. When---when did we plan this?”

_“UGH! We agreed to watch anime today when you were done with classes like last week after your little hang out with Sans. Remember now, you forgetful punk? Where the hell’s your college so I can come get ya.”_

“Uh---I mean---I---I can walk to your place, it’s no trouble---”

 _“And I’m tellin’_ **_you_ ** _, it’s no trouble for me to come get you,”_ you swore you heard her tone soften a tad, but you’re not sure. You tell her where your college is and heave a sigh when she hangs up. You put your phone down and smile apologetically.

“Sorry, Gaster. Let’s talk more tonight, yeah?” Your phone vibrates and emits a faint static.

_OF COURSE, MY DEAR. I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD TIME._

You change, brush out your hair, and grab your phone before heading out to meet up with Undyne for what you’re sure is going to be a very, _very_ long day of anime.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

Weeks ago, he discovered you in one of the timelines. A human girl with a soul so cracked with past pains and self-deprecation yet still shined so brightly with determination and perseverance. Beneath the gray cracks, beneath the patches of gray, red and purple swirled and flared in harmony.

You were just a human girl researching the core, trying to discover how it came to be, who made it. It’s not like he’s seen others try and fail, then give up and forget all about it, but something about you was… different.

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious about you.

He’ll admit he felt strange, if a little bad, for following you around, someone he never met, he never knew. At least he was pretty sure he didn’t know you. There are so many other timelines he tries to keep up with it’s close to impossible to remember where others stand. He kept his distance, watching you explore the humid, unforgiving cavern of Hotland. He watched you talk with the other monsters. He watched your soul flicker and dim every time a monster told you they don’t know who made the core, and he feels his own soul ache.

He watched you interact with… _them._ He didn’t remember their name, he didn’t care to. He did _not_ like them, and they knew and they revelled in his hatred for them. The way they always smiled, the way they held that iron grip on… it. He _hated_ it, he hated them. He didn’t want you interacting with them, heck, he wouldn’t want anyone to interact with them. As he watched you tremble and write down every word they say about him, he wished he was there---truly there---beside you to protect you.

You should never be alone with them. No one should be.

He watched you speak with Avy, the little monster that always sat there and stared at nothing. He remembered them so well, too well. They used to be so happy, so rambunctious, so full of life. Now they’re nothing more than a… a doll. When they looked at him, he knelt to hear their whispers. He had looked at you when he heard the camera on your phone.

He didn’t mean to frighten you in such a way. He wanted to apologize, but he didn’t know how. He’s tried several times to tell you, to contact you, but to no avail.

He watched you shake under the stare of Bitt. He had mixed feelings about that one, always smiling and staring down anyone that could see them. They would never hurt anyone, but they took great joy in creeping them out. He watched them speak in their voice that always sounded like a snake's hiss. He stared right back at them when they grinned up at him. He saw you pull out your phone and sees the front camera. He forced a small smile and waved at the camera.

He hoped it wouldn’t scare you. And when you looked at the picture, he saw something in your soul fluctuate. Determination. For what? He didn’t know at first.

He followed you, he found a way to talk to you and he clung to it like it was his only life-line. In a way, it was. He hasn’t tried to contact someone in so long… or has it been long? The years have melded together, all these timelines, he’s not sure how long it’s been. But he stayed by your side, he answered… most of your questions, he relished the company you give him.

He remembered how you asked him to teach you how to read and speak Wingdings. He noticed you fidgeting, your eyes shifting, your soul dimming and brightening at the same time and he sees one of the cracks growing just a fraction. He can sense the past pain, the hesitation, but also the determination. He was more than happy to teach you.

He remembered the promise you made to him. The promise to bring him back to this time, this dimension, back to his friends and his sons. Behind the cracks, behind the gray, your soul shined so brightly with determination. Determination to succeed, to prove something, but what? He’ll possibly never know, but your promise made him feel hope, something he hasn’t felt in so long.

You were such a curious human. So dedicated and quiet and trying so, so hard. He truly hoped your kindness and desire to help doesn’t come back to hurt you. He's not sure if your delicate soul would be able to handle such trauma.

Gaster decided to visit you while you, Alphys, and Undyne had your little anime marathon. Alphys was sandwiched between Undyne and you, all three of you making commentary and predictions about what’s going to happen next. He watched you closely, watched your soul flutter and flicker this way and that. He notices that certain cracks he’s seen before have begun to heal, some of the gray was fading and it makes him smile.

Slowly but surely, he’s sure you’ll be okay again.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

The anime marathon is over. You had to tap out after finishing Madoka Magica, despite Undyne and Alphys promising the other ones aren’t as sad or heart breaking. You mentioned to them that you promised to have breakfast with your grandparents tomorrow and they loved getting up _early_. Undyne and Alphys drove you back to your college after much complaining, and you wave them off. You walk to your dorm, looking through some of the text updates you got from Adrian and Begonia in your little group chat.

_Adrian:_

_THE MOVE IS GONNA BE IN THREE DAYS REMEMBER THAT GIRLS ヽ(゜∇ ゜)ノ_

_We should ask Undyne and Alphys and Papyrus if they wanna help! (・∀・)_

_Beggy:_

_What about Sans?_

_Adrian:_

_Sans would literally just lay on the couch and watch us work. (  ≖△≖ )_

_Beggy:_

_Alright, fine. So ask Undyne, Alphys, Paps to help, and then Honeysuckle is a definite yes._

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_You might wanna ask them now and not at the last minute._

_Adrian:_

_When have I ever done something last minute? ┐(‘∇ ` )┌_

_Beggy & XXX-XXX-XXXX: _

_All the time._

_…_

_…_

_Adrian:_

_(´；へ；`)_

You smile and shake your head. You really missed Adrian. You slip out of your shoes, set your alarm for tomorrow, and then faceplant right on your bed. After all the excitement and energy exerting today, you almost instantly fall asleep.

…

You wake from a dreamless sleep to your alarm blaring. You turn it off and force yourself out of bed. You yawn and say, **[Morning Gaster.]** and then start getting ready for seeing your grandparents. Aside from the short sputter of static from your phone and the shifting of your clothing, it’s silent in your dorm. You grab your purse, your phone, and head out of your dorm.

You check your phone and smile at the texts you received.

_GOOD MORNING, MY DEAR._

_Nana:_

_On our way to your school, will be there soon._

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Okay! I’ll be at the front, like usual, did you decide where you wanted to eat?_

_Nana:_

_Yes, a nice little breakfast buffet. It’s not far from the shopping plaza._

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_I think I know which one you’re talking about. Okay, can’t wait!_

You wait by the front, keeping an eye out for that familiar car your grandparents always drove. You only have to wait for a few minutes before you see it driving up. The passenger window rolls down as you approach, smiling brightly when you see your grandmother---Bertha---reaching out to pull you into a hug.

“Ooh, sweetie, it’s so good to see you. How was your semester?” She peppers your cheeks in kisses and you get into the car when she finally releases you. You reach out to your grandfather---Alfred---and he takes your hand and kisses it.

“Hey, Sweatpea. You ready for some breakfast?”

“Yeah!” You grin and put on your seat belt. “And my semester was alright. Glad it’s finally over. I made a few new friends too.”

“Really?” Bertha asks, “well don’t leave us in suspense, who are they? What are they like?”

“Well, they’re all monsters, for starters. Two of them are skeletons,” you say.

“Oh, dear. That can’t be good. Are they eating enough?”

“Uhm… Nana… I meant they’re _literal_ skeletons. Like, bones and everything?”

“Are you joshin’ me?” Alfred asks now, glancing at you through the rear-view mirror, “actual skeleton monsters?”

“Yeah. I think they’re super rare or something, but trust me, they don’t really look like actual skeletons. Like… their bones are thicker? And their faces are more malleable than a human’s skull. And before you ask, I’m pretty sure they’re held together by magic,” you smile, “they’re super nice, though. I think you’d like them.”

“Well, I’ve seen everything at this point, so skeleton monsters are not surprising,” he grumbles.

“I would love to meet them one day, sweetie. We could have them over for a big dinner party this weekend!” Bertha smiles at you. “And you can invite your other friends too! Didn’t you say you had more than the skeletons?”

“Oh, yeah! Alphys and Undyne. I met them through Papyrus---one of the skeletons---when we had dinner together one night. They’re really nice and they’ve been married for… about a year now?”

“Good for them, I hope they get to have a long, happy marriage,” Alfred smiles and so do you. “Ah, here we are! Just gotta find a parking spot.” You look at all the stores, smiling softly. You blink when you notice someone walking out of the grocery store… is that…?

You hop out of the car as soon as it’s parked and turned off and hurry towards the store.

“Sweetie, where are you going?” Bertha says, “the buffet is over here!”

“Hold on a sec!” You jump onto the sidewalk and call, “Papyrus!” The skeleton in question whips his head around so fast you almost think it’s gonna pop right off. His expression brightens and he’s rushing towards you. When he reaches you, he hesitates and looks at the bags in his arms, then ends up lovingly bonking you right on the head with his own.

“HUMAN! IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN! YOUR SEMESTER OF SPRING IS OVER, IS IT NOT?”

“Yeah, I just finished the other day, I was gonna have breakfast with my grandparents,” you gesture to them as they approach, “then I saw you and had to say hi and introduce you. Nana, Papa, this is Papyrus. Paps, this is my grandma and grandpa.”

“HELLO HUMAN NANA AND PAPA! IT IS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU!”

“Now that’s a voice! All these young’ns today mumble all the time,” Alfred huffed, “Nice t’meet ya Papyrus.”

“Oh, you were right, dear. He _is_ made of bone,” Bertha touches at Papyrus’ arm. “Hello, Papyrus, sweetie. How are you doing today?”

“I AM DOING WELL! I WAS JUST FINISHING SHOPPING AND WAS READY TO HEAD HOME AND MAKE BREAKFAST SPAGHETTI.”

“What perfect timing! We were just about to have breakfast!” Bertha claps her hands and looks at Alfred. They have a silent conversation and he nods, looking at Papyrus.

“Yeah, why not join us?”

“OH, I WOULD NOT WISH TO IMPOSE ON YOU, HUMAN NANA AND PAPA. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BREAKFAST FOR YOU, IS IT NOT?”

“Of course, but it would be much more fun and important if you came, seeing as you’re our dear granddaughter's good friend,” Bertha patted his hand, “we would love to have you join us for breakfast, sweetie.”

“You won’t be imposing, son, don’t worry,” Alfred nodded and smiles, clapping a hand on your shoulder, “it’d be an honor, actually!”

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to, Paps. But we wouldn’t mind you joining us. Unless you have somewhere to be…?”

“HMM… NOPE. I HAVE TODAY OFF AND SANS IS AT WORK,” he shifts around on his feet, “IF… YOU ARE SURE, THEN YES! I WOULD LOVE TO JOIN YOU!” He beams.

“Did you walk here, dearie? Do you have a car?”

“I DO HAVE A CAR! GIVE ME A MOMENT TO PUT THESE AWAY AND WE MAY COMMENCE THE BREAKFAST HANG OUT!”

You laugh, “Okay, Paps. We’ll be over at that buffet and wait for you, okay?”

He nods and gives you another bonk on the head before hurrying towards the parking lot. You follow your grandparents to the restaurant and Alfred squeezes your shoulder gently.

“Is he your boyfriend, Sweetpea?”

You sputter, nearly tripping over your own feet and look up at him. “Papa! He’s a _friend!_ And what if I wasn’t into guys?”

“Just wondering!” He chuckles, patting your shoulder, “he seems like a fine young… skeleton.”

“Such a dear, too!”

“Haha, yeah. Papyrus is super sweet,” you give a crooked grin, “his brother is really nice too, and funny. Honestly, Papa, I think you’d like Sans the most.”

“And why do you say that?” He raises a wrinkled brow at you and you just smile sweetly.

“You’ll see when you meet him.”

The three of you stop and wait by the front entrance for Papyrus to return, and, sure enough, here he comes bounding towards you. With his arms free, he sweeps you up into a big hug and you swear you hear your spin popping in three different places. When he puts you down, he shakes Alfred and Bertha’s hands eagerly, saying again how wonderful it is to meet them, and then you all go into the buffet for your breakfast hang out session.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you Tuesday. :)
> 
> Be ready.
> 
> I have notes written down all the way to chapter 20 *wheeeezes* kill me


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> ( ◕‿◕)
> 
> It begins.
> 
> ( ⊙‿⊙)
> 
> Edit: I JUST REALIZED THROUGH OUT THIS ENTIRE CHAPTER I ACCIDENTALLY WROTE "AIDAN" INSTEAD OF "ADRIAN" I HATE MYSELF  
> IT'S FIXED NOW BUT I'M STILL MAD

To say you’ve been busy for the next two semesters is an understatement.

Bertha and Alfred absolutely adored Papyrus. He was so sweet and polite and talked so eagerly and excitedly about his job at the pet store. And when he mentioned that the store was hiring new recruits, your grandparents were all but too happy to jump at telling you to take that. Sweet Papyrus told you that you should take it, that the co-workers would help train you and were really nice.

Only having one other job (at a frozen yogurt place that lasted less than a year), you weren’t too confident in yourself, but you promised to fill out an application for the store. And… well, in all honesty, you were shocked when you got called for an interview and got hired. Papyrus was right, though, the co-workers were really nice and patient with you.

So now you’re busy not only with classes, but work. Right after class you’d have to go and get ready for work, then drive there. Thankfully, you have the weekends off, giving you time to do your homework and hang out with your friends more.

You helped Adrian with the move into Begonia’s apartment. Undyne, Papyrus, and Alphys were more than happy to help. Undyne and Papyrus had a contest on who could carry the most heaviest stuff and Adrian nearly lost all their fur worrying over their hardware. As Adrian had predicted, Sans just lazed about on the couch, making commentary and puns to whoever was listening.

You’re regularly treated to Grillby’s by Sans---heaven forbid you try treating him for once---and tell each other jokes or just sit in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

You spend a lot more time with Papyrus now---not only because he’s your co-worker, but also because you go shopping with him and tell him about all the different types of pasta dinners and he’s so eager and happy to try them all out.

You hang out with Alphys more often and bond via cartoons and anime, and sometimes you both hang out to do your homework together. She doesn’t talk much when she works, but doesn’t mind talking when you want to.

Undyne lets you linger in the back of the room during her sessions at the gym and sometimes even lets you and Begonia and Adrian join in. She knows how to make her workout sessions fun, but effective, her loud, enthusiastic voice enough to ignite the flame in even the weakest hearts.

You revel in the time you get to spend with Begonia and Adrian, sitting in the living room of their apartment and watching Adrian play video games and make commentary, or listen to Begonia sing with a voice so beautiful and calming. You swear everyone else in the apartment building stops what they’re doing just to hear her.

You invite all your friends to the big dinner your grandparents wanted to have with them, and---oh, they just loved all your friends. Alfred had way too much fun coming up with puns back and forth with Sans and consistently commented Undyne on her strong grip. Bertha was so sweet and kind and patient with Alphys, telling her it's ok every time she apologized for her stammers and letting her know to take her time. Your grandparents loved your friends, and your friends loved them. Near the end of the dinner, when it was time for everyone to go, you all got invited to the big Christmas party happening in just a few months at Toriel's place. You've heard of Toriel, but never really met her, and were all too eager to say yes. Your grandparents were just as eager and happy to be invited.

Despite all the fun you’ve had with your friends---old and new---as you near the end of your fall semester and study for finals and prepare for Christmas, your thoughts keep going back to Gaster.

Sure, you talk to him on almost a daily basis now since you can finally hold a conversation with him without messing up or not understanding him, but… you keep thinking about the promise you made to him.

You promised to help him, to bring him back. It’s not like you forgot! You never will forget. You just… you really don’t know how you can help him.

…

You tear your gaze away from the screen of your laptop to look at your phone. You lean back in your chair and rub your face, sighing heavily.

 **[Is everything alright, my dear?]** Gaster asks in a hushed voice.

You frown, glancing off to the side, then look back at your phone. **[Yeah, kinda. I’m just thinking, is all.]**

**[What are you thinking about?]**

You start fidgeting with your pen. **[Y’know, school stuff, finals. Just a little stressful…]**

**[Worry not, my dear. I am sure you will succeed. You are smarter than you give yourself credit for.]**

You smile softly and say, **[Thanks, Gaster…]** You heave another sigh and look at your laptop again, tapping at your chin. During your week off of school, after you get your Christmas shopping done, you’re going to find a way to help him, you swear it.

You work on school and work at… well, work, for the next week. Studying and finishing assignments and projects and before you know it, the fall semester is over. As soon as your final class is over and you’re officially free for Christmas break, you start writing down potential presents for everyone for Christmas. You look at some adjustable weights for Undyne and inhale through your teeth at the price. Jeez… you chew at your lip and add that to the list. And since Undyne’s present is… nearly… two hundred dollars… you’re not sure if you should spend the same amount on everyone else.

You’ll really have to talk to your grandparents about some extra money for shopping if this is the case. You rub your face and groan, then start searching again.

Begonia and Adrian are easy. You find a few CDs of some of Begonia’s favorite singers and two games Adrian had been looking forward to getting as soon as they had the money. You find some baking books for Muffet---you know most of these would be more of inspiration for her spider treats than something she’ll actually make. You find a few anime figurines of Alphys’s favorite characters.

You tap your chin, staring at the computer screen and making a face. You could always just purchase some cook books for Papyrus, but you feel like that would be too obvious… what else did he like to do? He loved working out with Undyne, but they practically share all their workout stuff. Oh! You look up sewing kits for beginners and find a nice one to order for Papyrus, and decide to add in two cook books because why not, he loved it.

Now Sans… Sans was harder. You could always give him at least ten years worth of ketchup that he’ll finish within two months. That’d be hilarious. But you want the present to last. You think back to the times you’d spend with him. Whenever he’d walk with you at night, you’d always catch him staring at the sky.

…

You look at your phone. **[Hey, Gaster?]**

**[Yes, my dear?]**

**[Does Sans like stargazing?]**

There’s a short pause, and then he laughs, **[Are you using me to decide on a present for my son? That could be considered cheating, my dear.]**

**[He’d find out too quickly if I just asked him myself! Come on, Gaster, please tell me?]**

Another laugh and you smile. He says, **[Yes, he loves stargazing.]**

 **[Perfect. He’ll love this, then.]** You find a telescope that costs almost as much as Undyne’s weights, but you ignore that. And then you find a book on astronomy for extra kicks, and lean back in your chair, staring at the ceiling. You’ve never had to get so many presents before… especially ones that are so expensive, but it’ll be worth it for their reactions. You find your smile brightening at the thought of all of their faces when they see their presents. It fills you with such joy.

You call your grandparents and explain to them what you wanted to do, and how much everything would cost, then proceed to apologize multiple times it’s all so expensive, but they promise to help you cover it. Then you finally order everything, making sure it’s all sent to your house, and sigh. It’ll be there by the end of the week, plenty of time to have them all wrapped up before Christmas. With that done, you decide to relax for the rest of the day, talking with Gaster and looking over the presents for everyone again, a big smile on your face.

And then the next day after work---now you have a few days off because of Christmas---you start pouring over the notes you took back in your time in the Underground. You read and re-read and re-re-read everything you wrote down that the grayscale monsters said. You tap at your temple, making a face, as you look at the words for five solid minutes, as if that would make the answer pop right in front of you.

And then your eyes lay on one particular sentence, _“They say he shattered across time and space.”_

Across time and space…? You look at the sentence, frowning, trying to make out what it’s supposed to mean. Could it be talking about his soul? Pieces of his soul scattered everywhere in the other timelines, the other dimensions and universes? Could that be why he’s not grounded in just one, because his soul is scattered? It makes sense… kind of. You were in no way an expert on souls or anything like that, but at least it was _something._

For some reason, your thoughts lingered on the one grayscale monster---the first one you saw. The thing in his hand… _“I’m holding a piece of him right here.”_ A piece of him… a piece of his soul? Did Gaster know? You chew at your pen, closing your notebook and staring out the window.

You start planning something possibly stupid and possibly very dangerous.

The next day you ask Gaster if he could give you some privacy for a bit, as you promised to hang out with Undyne and Alphys for another anime marathon. Of course, being ever the gentleman, he obliged. You hurriedly change once you’re sure he’s gone. You throw on a pair of shorts and a short sleeve shirt, then pull on your jacket. Yes, it’s getting colder, but it’s definitely not getting colder in Hotland. Hopefully if this worked out, you won’t have to be there too long.

You grab a tupperware container, just in case. You’re not sure if just a tupperware container will be enough to hold a piece of a soul, but it’s worth a shot. You drive to the Underground, paranoid the entire time Gaster might catch you in the middle of it. It’s not like he can really do anything, but the guilt would kill you. Your grip on the wheel tightens.

_Worse case scenario, he’ll never want to see your face again._

_That won’t be shocking, though, seeing as how good you are with keeping friends, right?_

You force the negative thoughts away and park your car. You force them away and keep repeating you yourself, “You can do this. You’re going to succeed and bring him back… he’ll see his family again… _You can do this_.” You sigh and get out of your car, leaving your jacket in it and start walking towards the entrance. Then your phone starts going off and you panic for a full second until you see it’s just a text from Adrian.

_Adrian:_

_What are you up to, girl? ( ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ_

Lie, lie, _lie._

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Heading into the Underground real quick._

That’s not a lie!!

_Adrian:_

_The underground? Why? :0_

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_You remember that thing I told you a while back? About… about Gaster?_

_Adrian:_

_Yeah? Is something up?_

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_I_

_…_

_I think I found a way to help him. I’m not sure, though. It’s a major shot in the dark and it’s probably stupid and dangerous but I have to try Adrian I have to._

_…_

_Adrian:_

_Want me to come with?_

_…_

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Yes, please. I… I don’t wanna go alone. But please don’t tell Beggy. She’ll freak._

_Adrian:_

_Not like she’s home anyway. But don’t worry, I won’t. You already at the entrance?_

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Yeah, I’ll wait for you._

And so you do. Adrian arrives not long after---must be nice to just be able to fly everywhere---and greets you with a hug. You didn’t even know you were shaking until you hugged them back. They squeezed you a bit and give you a crooked smile, nodding for you to lead the way.

“Gimme all the deets, girl.” You explain to Adrian your discoveries, and they’re quiet the entire time, patiently listening and nodding. “You think that weird monster has a piece of Gaster’s soul? How is that even possible?” they ask when you finish explaining. “Monster souls aren’t strong enough to last when their body is gone.” They frown, their ears flattening against their head. “Unless… Gaster is stronger than we assume?”

You knew Asgore---being the king and all---had to be pretty strong. Undyne? Definitely as strong as she makes herself to be. You get the strange feeling that Papyrus and Sans know more than they let on, and seeing as Gaster is their dad? You’re not sure, really, but for some reason the thought alone made you shiver.

“I… I don’t know how they can have his soul.” You frown. “The other monsters said that he ‘fell into his creation’ which I think is the Core, and since it… breaks apart magical energy… I think sort of… I don’t know, shattered Gaster’s soul? But something _must_ be keeping his soul intact, keeping him alive. Maybe the piece that he still has? I really don’t know---I’m not an expert on magical energies or souls.”

“No, I kinda understand. Trust me, I’m not an expert of magic either, and I’m a monster,” Adrian laughs weakly, then frown. “All this magic and souls and stuff… never was an expert on it, but what you said makes sense, kinda. That even if a small piece of his soul is still with him, then that’s probably why the other pieces of his soul hasn’t withered away yet, yeah?” He looked at you for confirmation. You really didn’t know, they were all just theories, guesses, and you’re sure Gaster was the only one that could fully answer, but you don’t think it’s a fun topic to talk about.

Adrian brushing their hand against yours tears you from your thoughts. “Don’t worry, girl. I got your back the entire way. Won’t let nothin’ happen to you.”

They gently nudge your shoulder and you nudge them back, smiling softly. It’s comforting. You walk through Hotland together, trying to find the grayscale monster you ran into. You’d rather find the one that had the piece of Gaster, but any of them will do right now, seeing as you can’t freaking find _any_ of them.

And it’s clear Adrian is uncomfortable walking around Hotland with you. They’re tugging at their shirt and huffing and frowning, but they don’t complain. Bless their heart. They keep an eye out for you too, but even with your teamwork, you can’t seem to find any of the monster you were looking for. And you knew asking around for a monster that looked like they had been hit with the grayscale option in an art program wouldn’t work very well.

You both decide to ride the elevator to L1. You cross your arms and frown. It’s almost like they knew you were coming, or were scared of Adrian? But then again, why would they be scared of this fluffball? You look up at Adrian who is staring at the buttons light up. Their ears twitch and they frown too, looking at the door.

“What’s wrong, Adrian?” You ask, watching their face.

Their ears twitch again and they put a finger to their lips. You hush as they listen. Then they say, “I hear… something… I don’t know how to describe it, but… I think it’s a soul? It’s so weak and small, I almost didn’t catch it.” You quietly watch them press their ear to the door. Their eyes widen and they rush to the buttons, eagerly pressing R1.

The elevator comes to an abrupt stop and you blink. When the doors open, you see them. Adrian hurries out, you close behind them. You walk past them to approach the monster, Adrian remaining close to your side.

The monster smiles a big, wide smile and chuckle, “Back already? Where’s your bodyguard? Or is this your new one?” They turn their head to look at Adrian and you notice their fur bristling. You’ve never seen them have a look so intense. It felt strange to see them like this and it only made you more nervous about this monster. They brush their hand against yours, gripping at it and giving it a squeeze. They glance at you and shake their head. They didn’t trust this monster before them. Neither did you.

You tear your gaze away from Adrian and look at the monster. “You… you have something that---that doesn’t belong to you,” you say, daming your slight stammer, “give it back.”

The monster’s smile widens and it’s then you notice very, _very_ sharp teeth. Your chest tightens and you stiffen, staring at the sharp canines in their mouth. Your grip on Adrian’s hand tightens a fraction. The monster throws their head back and laughs, loud and mocking. “Something that doesn’t belong to me? Tell me, girl, what is that?” They stare at you with no eyes, and yet you can still feel them looking right through you, right at your soul.

With a trembling hand, you point at the thing---the piece of Gaster’s soul---in their hand. Looking at it now, you notice that it wasn’t also smiling like the monster. It’s cracked and is almost completely gray, but you can see the tiniest patches of purple. “That. It doesn’t belong to you. Give it to me, now.”

“And what are _you_ going to do with it?” They mock, tilting their head at you. They inch closer to you and chuckle, “You think it’ll fill in those little craters in your own soul?”

Adrian snarls. You’ve _never_ heard Adrian snarl before. “You leave her alone,” they say in a low tone, “return what you’ve stolen, _now_.”

“You don’t scare me.” They snicker. “What’s a flying _rat_ going to do, hmm? You can’t even use the simplest healing spell. And _you_ ,” they turn their attention to you, “you’re just a pathetic, damaged human girl. What are _you_ going to do?”

Your hands shake so badly, your grip on Adrian’s hand tightens further while your other is holding the tupperware container. You grit your teeth. You stare right at their blank face, pulling your hand free from Adrian’s. You force yourself to take a step forward and say, firmer, “Give… give me that soul. It belongs to Gaster.”

They stepped closer to you---you didn’t realize how tall they were until now---and smiles wider, showing off more of their teeth. Your heart is pounding so loud your ears hurt.

“It belongs to _me,_ ” they hiss.

“Stay away from her!” Adrian shouts, rushing forward to shove them away from you.

The next few minutes happen in a blur. You don’t know what made you tackle the monster, but you did. You feel the sinking, falling feeling you feel whenever Sans teleports you, and you’re suddenly in Waterfall, landing on top of the monster hard. You gasp and look at them. They’re more shocked than anything, but it’s soon replaced by anger. You realize the piece of Gaster’s soul is no longer in their hand. It’s floating just a few inches away.

You scramble off of them and scoop it up into the tupperware---what do ya know? It actually worked in containing it---and _run_ . You hear a roar behind you and footsteps gaining. You clutch the container close to your chest. You run and run and run and you _can’t stop running they’re right behind you._

You take a sharp turn and hurriedly wade your way through the water, huffing and puffing and almost crying but you don’t let go of the container. You hold on so tight, so scared it’ll shatter if you drop it. You can hear them behind you, having significantly less trouble getting through the water.

“GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!” They shout and their shout makes you freeze in fear.

“It doesn’t belong to you!” You yell back and jump onto the land and keep running, ignoring the way your shoes _squish squish_ against the ground. You take another sharp turn and feel something grabbing for your hair, but only manage to tear out a few tangles. You cry out---having just one thread of hair being torn out is bad enough, that had to have been a clump!---but you keep running. You had to lose them somehow, you _had to._

You push through some tall grass, wheezing and panting and crying, but you keep going. You wish Adrian was here. You wish _anyone_ was here to help you get away from this thing.

You reach the other side of the tall grass and manage to run several paces before a clawed hand grabs your hair and yanks you back. “ _AHHH!”_ You cry as you’re thrown to the ground. Suddenly, a clawed hand is grasping your neck and lifting you off the ground, their grip slowly tightening.

“It. Is. _Mine_ ,” they snarl, grabbing at your wrist with their free hand and yanking it away. You clutch the container closer to your chest with your own free hand and thrash under their grip, kicking at their chest and struggling as much as you can. Everything is getting blurry.

“N...Not… yours…” you choke out. Their grip only tightens, their claws digging into your neck. “Guh….. Ga...sters……” They snarl, slamming you into the wall again.

 

Black dots dance around your vision.

 

You can’t breathe.

 

You can’t breathe.

  
  
  
You…… can’t………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ヽ( ⊙ヮ⊙ )ノ


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

…

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

You don’t know what happened, but suddenly you can breathe again. The monster dropped you and is yelling at someone. You cough and wheeze and hack and hold the container with Gaster’s soul so close. Your neck hurts, your head hurts, your lungs hurt, your legs hurt. But you can’t just sit here with that… _thing_ still trying to kill you.

You look up through teary eyes and you see two figures. One of them is the monster and the other is smaller. They’re attacking the taller monster. You blink and cough and rub your eyes. You’re so disoriented, it’s so hard to focus, but you manage to make the shapes out.

It… it’s the monster child. They’re headbutting the monster and yelling at them to go away. The monster tries to hit the child but they’re too small, too fast. They bite at the monster’s hand and the monster shrieks and flails about. When the child lets go, they look at you.

“Run!” They yell, turning to the larger monster again. “Run away! Go back to your friend!!”

You blink lazily, trying to process their words. Your friend… Adrian. Adrian is still here. Adrian is looking for you. They must be so worried oh no, oh no. The disorientation is wearing off fast as panic sets in. How far is Hotland from here? Which way could you even start going??

The monster child noticed you hesitating and turned to you. The monster grabbed the child and lifted them off the ground, but was harshly bit in the hand. They screeched, dropping the child and they bit at the monster’s leg too for good measure before rushing to your side.

“Quick, open it and hold onto me!” You fumble about with the container, pulling at the lid with shaky hands. The larger monster is closing in on you again. You open the container and hold on tightly to the child’s sweater. “Sorry…” They mumble and grab the piece of Gaster’s soul with their teeth, then squeeze their eyes shut. The soul starts to glow a bit brighter now and you’re feeling heavier.

“ _NO!!_ ” The monster roars, reaching for you. You feel something grab your shirt, you feel like you’re falling again, and suddenly you’re in Hotland, by a cliff overlooking a lake of magma. Not where Adrian was, but this is good enough. The monster child spits the soul back into the container and you close it again. Suddenly you’re slammed against the ground, claws around your neck once more.

“GIVE THAT TO ME NOW, YOU WORTHLESS, BROKEN HUMAN!!” The monster roars in your face. The child headbuts them again and again and again all the while you’re feeling dizzy and weak and your grip on the container is loosening. Even as this monster is choking you, all you can think about are your grandparents and Adrian and Begonia and Muffet and Sans and Papyrus and Undyne and Alphys and Gaster, Gaster, _Gaster_.

With newfound adrenaline and determination pumping through you, you manage to kick them off. The child headbutts them again as they release your neck. They tumble to the side and off the edge, the child being dragged with them. You scramble to your feet, the container forgotten on the ground, and grab their sweater. You pull them up and wrap your arms tight around them, staring at the monster that is dangling off their tail.

“You stupid, broken human! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you and all your friends for this!” They shout, struggling to get a good grip on the child’s tail. The monster child is thrashing this way and that, trying to make the larger monster let go. Their claws dig into the child’s tail and they scream in agony.

Your grip on the monster child is slipping. You wheeze and cough and huff and you’re crying and you just wish someone was here to help you. You feel something in your chest fluttering, calling out---wait, what?

“Close your eyes and focus!” the monster child says, “focus hard on that feeling! Call for help, call for your friend!”

“ _Don’t you dare!”_

They’re slipping more. You shut your eyes tight and focus, you focus as hard as you can. You feel something calling out. Calling out for Adrian to come, to help, to save you.

 

…

 

…

 

And they came.

You feel the child becoming lighter, you hear the monster shouting and roaring and you hear wings flapping.

“Let me go, you pathetic excuse for a monster!” They thrash and scratch at Adrian’s legs as they yank them away from you and the monster child. You pull the child up and hug them close, watching Adrian fly farther towards the lake of magma. You huff and wheeze and sob, your grip like a vice as you clutch the shaking child close to your chest.

You can’t see Adrian. You can hear them and the other monster shouting, you can hear them roaring in anger, and then it’s quiet. You hear the child in your arms whimper softly and you stroke their back with trembling hands, watching where Adrian had flew off.

Please… please let them be okay… _please_.

And they are. They return, breathing heavily and bleeding from the legs. When they reach the cliff, they fall flat on their hind quarters next to you, wheezing and coughing and tugging at their shirt.

“Sorry… ‘m late…” they huff, “I heard… I heard you… came here ‘s fast ‘s I could…”

You huff and cough and crawl to their side with the child still in your arms and cling to them with your free hand, holding them so tight and sobbing so hard. They wrap their arms around you, letting their wings act as a safety blanket, and hold you close. They stroke your head, they nuzzle you, they gently shush you, whispering, “It’s okay, it’s okay now. You’re okay, you’re safe, it’s over.”

You don’t know how long you’re like this, but when your grip slackens on the child, Adrian lets you go and the child grabs the container for you, laying it in your lap. They look up at you. “I heard… I heard them yelling, and then I heard you,” they say, “and I came as fast as I could. I… I was worried for you, miss.” They look at the container in your arms.

“…They had that piece of Mr. Gaster for a long, long time. Bitt doesn’t care and… Avy is…” They frown and shake their head. “I was too scared to take it from them.”

“I… I can suh---see why…” You cough and Adrian rubs your back. Your vioce sounds terrible. “Are… are you guh---gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” they say softly, “I hope you manage to help Mr. Gaster.”

“But what about you…?” You clear your throat, shaking your head, then look at the child. You frown, reaching for them. They gently bump their head on your hand.

“There’s no hope for me, miss,” they mumble, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“But… there has to be a way to help you, kiddo,” Adrian says softly, holding their hand out to the child. They bump their head against Adrian’s hand too. “Thinkin’ like that, talkin’ like that… it’s not good. You’re in the same predicament as Gaster, right?”

“Yes and no… I’m not as… shattered as Gaster, but…” They shake their head. “please, don’t worry about me. She needs to go, she’s hurt and needs healing. So do you, that looks painful.”

You look at Adrian’s legs and---oh man, it looks _really_ bad. Adrian waves it off, huffing a weak laugh, “It’s fine, I’m fine.”

“You---you’re not fine! That looks like it really hurts!” You scoot closer and look at their legs. “Adrian, you---you need someone to look at that!” You look at them, eyes wide and more tears ready to fall.

_Adrian’s hurt because of you. If only you hadn’t called for them, they wouldn’t be injured. Who knows if they’ll be able to walk again._

It’s your fault. It’s all your fault Adrian’s hurt. No, no, no…

Adrian grabs your shoulder and stares hard at you. “This ain’t your fault,” they say, almost as if they had read your mind. “I chose to come with you underground, I chose to come to you and help you. And I helped you because I’m your bestie, remember?” You wiped at your eyes and nod, snorting up some snot. They laugh. “Ew, that’s disgusting.” You huff a weak laugh.

They take a deep breath and brace themselves on the ground, mumbling, “Okay… let’s see here…” They push themselves to their feet and almost topple over. “Shit!” You scramble to your feet and help steady them. “You shouldn’t walk too much, girl, you’re probably real dizzy…” They’re right. You’re pretty sure you’re wobbling on your own feet right now.

“Okay… this clearly isn’t going to work,” the monster child sighs as you and Adrian sit back down. The child approaches you, plopping the container in your lap again. “Open this again please, miss.” And you do. With much more delicacy, they pick up the piece of Gaster’s soul and looks at you both. You grab onto their sweater, and once Adrian does, you get the sinking feeling.

And then you’re in Gaster’s lab. The monster child drops the soul into the container again and you carefully close it. You both watch the child shuffle through one of the cabinets. They present a bottle of… something to you when they’re done shuffling around. They plop that down in your lap.

“Put this on their legs. It’ll help,” they say, sitting down in front of you. You pick up the bottle and look at it. “It’ll feel weird, like cold and tingly, but it’s almost like monster food with healing properties. It’s mostly for cuts, though, not bruises.” They frown. “I’m sorry, miss, I couldn’t find anything for your neck…”

“It’s okay, hun,” you say softly, opening the bottle. You use two fingers to scoop out the salve and sniff it. It doesn’t have a distinct smell and it’s clear, but you notice the light glow. You scoot closer to Adrian and they shift around, presenting their legs to you. You place the salve on one of their legs. It glows a bit brighter, and seems to sink into Adrian’s skin and they sigh deeply in relief at the feel. The blood is still coated into their fur, but now there are only scars where the injuries once were.

“Dang, that’s awesome.” Adrian grins and looks at the monster child. “Thanks for that, kiddo.” They smile back at Adrian.

“How did you know about this place?” You ask the monster child. They frown suddenly and look away.

“I’ve… been here before,” they say quietly, “before… _that._ ” You don’t pry any further.

You notice the claw marks on their tail and say softly, “Turn around real quick, your tail’s hurt…” You reach out to them and they flinch, but turn and let you put the strange magic salve on their tail. It heals the scratches almost immediately. “Hey, by the way… I don’t think I ever asked for your name,” you say, turning back to Adrian and putting some salve on their other leg.

“Ha ha… no one’s asked me that in so long… it---it’s Gabby,” they fall silent, and then, “I… I have a twin... named Matty. They like being called MK, like… y’know, ‘monster kid’?” They smile, a few tears forming in their pupil-less eyes. “When you get back to the surface can you… can you make sure they’re okay for me? They… I know they’re friends with Frisk, but… I just wanna make sure.”

“Of course, kiddo.” Adrian reaches out and pats their head. “Of course we will, don’t worry. I know of Frisk, I can find them and ask them about MK, okay?” They smile, and Gabby returns it. Adrian stands, bouncing on their feet to test it and grin. “That is some _good_ goopy stuff.” You cap the bottle and they take it from you, tossing it up in the air a few times. “I’m keeping some of this.”

Gabby laughs lightly, then frowns and say, “You should… probably go now. That looks like it hurts,” they say and look at the new bruises on your neck.

“Yeah. You good to walk, girl?” Adrian helps you stand, holding you securely while you clutch the container to your chest.

“I… I think so…” you say, “just a little dizzy, now. I don’t know if I’ll be okay to drive, though…”

“Alright. It’s okay, I got my license. I can drive, don’t worry.” The three of you walk out of the lab and back into Hotland.

Once outside, Adrian gives one final smile to Gabby. “Thanks a bunch for the help, Gabbers.”

Gabby nods. “Good luck.” And they start walking away. You and Adrian watch them for a moment longer, and then Adrian helps walk you out of the Underground. The entire walk to your car is quiet and quick, thankfully. Adrian helps support you and takes certain routes that’s sure to avoid people seeing the bruises on your neck and stopping you every five feet to ask if you’re okay.

You make it outside and to your car with hardly any trouble. You’re so, _so_ glad you didn’t run into Asgore on your way in or out. You’re not sure how he’d react to seeing you leaving the Underground with bruises on your neck.

You slip into the passenger seat of your car while Adrian folds their wings and slides into the driver’s seat. You hand them the car keys, then pull on your jacket and search through your car a bit. You manage to find your old, weird smelling scarf and wrap that around your neck. It’ll do until you find something to help heal it. You pull your phone out of the glove compartment and pocket it.

Adrian frowns as they drive you back to your college. “You could… ask Papyrus to heal that for you. He’s really good at it.”

“N---No… I can’t… he’ll be so worried and upset. I don’t think I’d be able to lie to him…”

“Well, what about Muffet? I think she has some leftover stuff that heals wounds. Or---Or maybe Beggy? Beggy’ll understand, girl, you know she will. I just…” Adrian frowns. “It looks like it hurts. And they’ll find out eventually… I know I said I wasn’t planning on telling her. I still won’t if you don’t want me to, but you should be the one to tell her.”

“Adrian, I…” You sigh, leaning back into the chair and looking at the piece of Gaster’s soul. You say softly, “I’ll think about it… I know I can’t hide it forever from her, I just… you know how she can get sometimes.”

“That’s just because she cares about you, y’know? I do too. We’re all besties, remember?” They smile and you force one for them. “Beggy will be angry at first, and overprotective, but in the end she’ll understand.”

“I know…” You look up as Adrian parks in a spot by your college. “Adrian, I… thank you so much for your help.” You get out of the car and hurry around to meet them and hug them tightly. “I’m so sorry you got hurt…” They return it, holding you close and resting their cheek on your head.

“It’s nothin’, girl. Besties, remember? And hey, don’t worry about me gettin’ hurt. It’s worth it because you’re alright.” They grin. “But hey… maybe next time, let’s not have a hang out session that includes a monster nearly killing us, yeah?”

You laugh weakly, “Yeah, let’s.” They give you back your keys and you wave them off, then start walking back to your dorm. You pull your phone out of your pocket and turn it on. No new texts from anyone, except…

_WE MUST TALK._

_IN YOUR DORM._

_NOW._

Oh no…

You already feel your guilt weight on your shoulders and suddenly your dorm seems so far away. Your movements are more sluggish, the cold winds no longer bothered you, nor did the slight aching in your neck. You didn’t want to go back to your dorm now, you didn’t want to confront Gaster about the events he no doubt saw. You just wanted to sit and relax and sleep and then find something for your neck.

But you walked into your dorm and placed the container on your desk. You slipped out of your shorts and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. Your phone starts vibrating and you watch it for the longest time, then, with shaking hands, you answer the call and press it to your ear.

 **[Why did you lie to me?]** he asked. He didn’t give you enough time to answer, **[** **_Why_ ** **did you go back to the Underground---to** **_them_ ** **and put yourself in danger? How could you do that to yourself?! What if they had succeeded? You would be dead right now!]**

You frown and mumble, **[But I’m not…]**

 **[Do not play this game with me.]** Your phone starts to static.

**[But it’s true! I’m not dead! I’m okay! Adrian was there and Gabby---]**

**[If they had not have been there, you would have been killed! What were you thinking?!]** You’ve never heard him sound so upset. The static in your phone is getting worse.

**[I was thinking of you! I want to help you, Gaster!]**

**[And I want you to be safe! I know I cannot hope for you to stay in your room forever, refusing to leave and interact with the world, but I** **_had_ ** **hoped you knew better than to mess wxtx… with** **_thex!_ ** **Txxy were dangxrxxs! Txxy wxxx xxixg tx kixx yxu wxxxout x sexxnd txoxxxt, hxx cxx xxx xxlx xuxx lxxxlx cxxx xxx xxxxxxxx?!]** The static has gotten so bad you’re unable to understand Gaster. You hold your phone out and stare at your screen. Your grip is so tight your knuckles turned white, your hands shaking. Tears blur your vision.

“I just…”

Gaster speaks again, but you can’t understand. He quickly resorts to texting when you don’t respond. They come in rapid-fire.

_I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU LIED TO ME._

_I TRUSTED YOU._

_DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT WAS?_

_I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DIE._

“I…”

_HOW COULD YOU PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER WITH SUCH LITTLE CARE FOR YOUR WELL BEING?_

_DID YOU NOT THINK OF HOW UPSET YOUR FRIENDS WOULD BE SHOULD YOU HAVE DIED? THEY CARE ABOUT YOU SO MUCH---AS DO I._

_WHAT YOU DID WAS NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE._

You turn off your phone, huffing and wiping violently at your eyes. You throw your phone onto the bed and storm out of your room, slamming the door behind you and hurrying down the hall and off campus. Gaster’s words haunt your every thoughts.

“I just wanted to help you,” you whisper, your lip quivering, a few tears escaping. You wiped at your eyes again, your own dark thoughts overtaking Gaster’s words.

_I told you he would hate you._

_You lied to him. You lied to your friend and now he’ll never forgive you._

_He’ll never want to be your friend again._

_He’ll never want to see you again._

**_You deserve this, you know._ **

You look up when you stop walking, wiping at your eyes again. You step into the little bakery and walk up to the counter. There’s little to no customers, and they pay you no mind. Muffet looks up when she sees you approaching and smiles, but it’s quick to fall. She sees the redness of your cheeks, of your eyes. She sees your lips quivering and your shoulders hunched tightly, your hands gripping at your coat, and she gasps quietly. She hurries around the counter to take your hands and tugs you away into her little office. She calls for one of her employees to take over for the moment, and shuts the door with a soft _click_.

“Dearie…” She sits you down in a chair and sits in front of you. One pair of hands grips yours, the other is holding your red, cold face, and the last pair gently strokes your hair. “Oh, dearie, what’s wrong? What happened?” She notices the patches of purple and yellow underneath your scarf and looks at you. You can sense a more dangerous aura coming off of her when she asks in a low tone, “Who hurt you?” Her eyes remind you of the deep, dark, unforgiving abyss as she looks at you.

You don’t say anything at first, you just let her stroke the top of your hand and your cheeks with her thumbs and pet your hair. You shift and lean closer and she pulls you the rest of the way into her arms, rubbing your back and petting your hair and combing out the tangles and being so, so careful not to touch your neck. When Begonia hugs you, it always smells so nice with the leaves and bark and flowers, and her singing made it better. When Adrian hugged you, their wings were like a blanket, keeping you grounded.

When Muffet hugged you, it’s like a bunch of hands keeping you from falling too far, holding you securely, keeping you up. She would always be able to do more than one thing when hugging you. Rubbing your back, petting your hair, massaging your shoulders. You liked Muffet’s hugs.

“No one…” you finally murmur softly, biting back more tear. “No one now… they’re… gone.”

“Good. How dare they hurt you,” Muffet hisses and continues combing your hair, carefully ridding it of tangles and smoothing it out. “Do you want me to call Begonia, dearie?”

“No,” you answer a bit too quickly, then say slower, “no, please… not right now, I just… not now…”

She nods, understanding, and continues to hold you. She rubs your arms and starts rocking you side to side. “Do you want to stay here for a bit?” You nod and she squeezes you gently. “Okay, dearie. Do you want to stay in here or sit outside? Would you like something to eat?”

“I… can I just have some water? And I---I can sit outside, it’s okay…”

“Are you sure, dearie?”

“Y---Yeah…” Muffet nods and helps you stand. She gently holds your hand in hers, another pair gently holding your face and stroking your cheeks. She leans in and places a kiss on your forehead, then wraps her arms around your shoulders.

She walks you out of her office and lets you pick somewhere to sit. You choose to sit by the window, watching the outside, and grabbing a few napkins to wipe at your face. Muffet returns shortly with a cup of water and the Latrodectus cupcake. You give her a smile that she returns and places her hand on yours.

“Let me know if there’s anything else you need, alright?” You nod, and after she leans in to kiss your head again, she takes her place behind the counter, counting change and occasionally glancing at you. You sit at the little table, sipping your water but not touching your cupcake. You don’t really feel hungry.

You’re not sure how long you’re there, sitting, watching people come and go. But you’re sure you’ve been there for a short while, letting your thoughts take over and repeat over and over, _You deserve this._ And maybe you do. Maybe you deserve Gaster never wanting to speak to you again. It’s your fault Adrian got hurt in the first place, and you lied to Gaster, you lied to him and you put yourself in danger and now he’ll---

_Ting ting._

The little bell on the door rings as someone walks in, tearing you away from your thoughts. You don’t look up. You keep staring at your cup, leaning back in your chair as you hear a hushed conversation, and then more footsteps. They stop right beside you. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a pair of untied sneakers and dirty socks. You glance up at the stranger---Sans.

“hey, kiddo,” he says quietly, “wanna chat?” You really don’t. Sans is the last person you want to see right now, aside from Begonia. But seeing the look on his face, you’re sure he won’t take no for an answer. You glance over at Muffet and she’s watching you. When you lock eyes, she nods and gestures for you to go with him.

You look at Sans again and nod. You take his offered hand and stand up. He grabs your cupcake and nods to Muffet, then takes you outside. He tugs you into an alley and you ask quietly, “Did Muffet tell you to come here?”

“nah, i was sent on a very important mission,” he says, “paps wanted some pastries. then i…” He looks at you and you get the feeling he’s staring through you. Your hand reaches up to your chest where your soul is. He looks at your face and says softly, “felt you were havin’ a bad time… you want some tea? it’ll help.”

Anything sounds better than going back to your dorm. You nod, and he wraps his arm around your waist securely. You feel the falling sensation. And then you’re in a house---his house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never expected to get so attached to little Gabby, but I did. *sob*
> 
> See you Saturday :3c


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Comforting time!

The house is bright, colorful, warm, and… welcoming. You look around as Sans steps back. There’s a coffee table in front of an old, but comfy looking couch, an end table right next to with with a lamp and a book. Directly across the couch is a big, very fancy looking flat screen with a bunch of picture frames around it. Across from the front door is the kitchen, and you can hear a light clamor, as well as Papyrus talking to someone. Along the walls are more pictures of Sans and Papyrus and their friends, along with a few child's drawings.

You notice that some of the pictures had you and Begonia and Adrian in it and your lips twitched, a smile almost forming. Almost.

You see the stairs leading up to a balcony that overlooked the entire living room, and three doors. Next to the stairs is a small hallway and when you peak a bit you see another door. You see christmas lights wrapped around the balcony railing, along with some green tinsel and red ornaments (plastic you noticed). In the far corner of the living room, next to the entryway of the kitchen, is the Christmas tree. Decorated head to toe with handmade ornaments. The house itself isn’t overly cluttered, but roomy enough for quite a few people to come over and hang out or have a sleep over.

You feel Sans tug at your coat sleeve and you follow him. He sits you down on the couch and gently says, “wait here.” Then he disappears into the kitchen.

“HELLO SANS! WHY DO YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CUPCAKE? YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GET MORE!” You hear Papyrus shout, clearly unhappy.

Sans hushes Papyrus and you hear him mumbling to his brother and then you hear someone else hissing something. You feel like you already know how it is, but you don’t want to be right. Some more whispers, silence, something _clanking_ on the stove, and then the faint smell of… the ocean? Sans returns with a cup of tea. Papyrus is the next to step out and hurries to your side. He sits next to you and places one hand on yours.

“Human…?” he asks in a voice so quiet and so, so soft, “Sans told me you were sad. Did something bad happen? Human??”

You’re not looking at him. You’re watching Begonia step out of the kitchen and stare at you. She stands there for a full ten seconds, then she’s kneeling in front of you and holding your other hand.

“Honeysuckle…” She frowns when you don’t look at her. She whispers your name. You look at her this time, tears welling in your eyes. Sans sits to your left and hands you the cup of tea.

“here, kiddo. it’s sea tea,” he says, “it doesn’t taste that bad, but it’ll help the bruising.”

You sip at it---it tastes just like the sea, what do ya know?---and you can already feel some of the aching in your neck going away.

"Bruising?" Begonia asks. Papyrus looks at you, worry etched into his bones. You fidget, drinking your tea to avoid talking. You notice Begonia staring at your scarf and you chew at your lip. Then, with a slight trembling hand, you reach up and tug at your scarf, letting it fall into your lap. Papyrus gasps so quietly and Begonia’s eyes widen. You notice a few thorns poking out of her arms. “Who did this to you,” it wasn’t a question. When you don’t answer, she just holds your hand and gently strokes it and kisses it and then she lets it go. “You don’t have to say anything, just… do you want me to sing?” Sans takes your now free hand and strokes the top of it with the pad of his thumb. Papyrus scoots closer to you and wraps his arms around you, tucking your head under his chin, careful not to spill your tea, and he starts stroking your back. Begonia rests her cheek on your knee and looks at you. You nod once, and she starts to quietly hum a tune.

Papyrus is surprisingly warm and soft for a skeleton and you can feel something happening to your soul, but you don’t know how to describe it. It’s not bad or good, just… something. But you let him hold you, you let Sans hold your hand, you listen to Begonia softly humming. Your shoulders start to shake, your lip quivers and you can feel more tears forming.

“It’s… it’s okay to cry,” Papyrus whispers in a voice so gentle you didn’t think it was possible for someone like him, “even the Great Papyrus cries every once in awhile. It’s not a bad thing.” He strokes small circles on your back and you turn your head to bury it into his scarf. You don’t break into sobs, you don’t throw a fit, you don’t push any of them away, you just let the tears fall from your eyes and soak into Papyrus’ scarf. You sit there and let the tears fall while Begonia changes from humming to singing a soft melody.

You feel Sans tugging the empty teacup from your hand and you let him, grabbing at Papyrus’s shirt when your hand is free. He squeezes you gently, continuing to rub your back and stroke your hair, his skeletal fingers combing it out and being so, so careful not to agitate your bruises. You feel… a little better. Just a little.

Your crying comes to a halt as Begonia finishes her song and Papyrus is hesitant to pull away. “I must… I must go to work now, human, but I…” He looks at Sans and says, “I do not wish to go, brother.”

“i know, paps. but you gotta. don’t worry, we got her.” Sans lets go of your hand to pat your shoulder.

Begonia looks at Papyrus and forces a smile. “Yeah, don’t worry, Gypsophila. She’s in good hands.”

Papyrus fidgets and looks at you. He pulls you into one last hug and gently bonks his teeth on your head as if to kiss you, and then gets up and gathers his things for work. Before he goes, he gives Begonia and Sans a hug, then presses his teeth to your head again, and he’s gone. Begonia takes a seat next to you and lets you rest your head on her shoulder. You smell the leaves and the bark and the flowers budding from her head.

Sans presents the empty teacup to you, wordlessly asking if you wanted more. You nod, and he disappears into the kitchen once more. Begonia rubs your shoulder and nuzzles your head and grips your hand. Neither of you say a word. Sans returns and gives you the refilled teacup, then sits next to you again, rubbing your back.

None of you talk while you drink, the TV isn’t turned on, there’s nary a noise in the brightly colored house. You’re halfway done with the tea, when you finally decide to start talking, “I went back to the Underground with Adrian…” Neither Sans nor Begonia says a word as you tell your story, “I… I went back to get… a piece of Gaster’s soul…” You feel Sans tense next to you, but he doesn’t say anything. “I… there was a monster… that had a piece of his soul. A---A grayscale monster. I… I tackled them when they tried teleporting away using his soul, and… we ended up in Waterfall. They were angry and started chasing me when I took it. That… that’s how I got the bruises…”

Begonia’s grip tightens on your hand and you nuzzle her. “They… they would’ve killed me, but…” You weren’t sure if you should mention Gabby at first, but decided you might as well. “A little monster named Gabby helped me. We ended back in Hotland, but the monster was with us too… Gabby and them fell over a cliff and… I…” You reach up, gripping at your coat. “I called out to Adrian.”

Begonia is the first to speak in a gentle tone, “You learned how to call with your soul?”

“I… I don’t know, maybe? I remember feeling so scared and wanting someone to be there. I remember feeling… something---my soul, calling out, and---and Gabby told me to focus on that feeling. And I did, I called to Adrian and they came and saved us.” Your hands started to shake. “They got hurt… and Gabby took us to---to Gaster’s lab. Found something to help Adrian’s legs.”

“Jeez…” Begonia holds you closer. “That’s… heavier than heavy.”

You look at Sans. His eyes have gone completely black, his grip tight on your hand, his shoulders stiff. “Sans…” he flinches when you say his name, “Sans, I---I have to tell you something…”

You confess to Sans that you know he’s Gaster’s son. You confess to him that Gaster has been talking to you for months now. You confess to him about how you found his workshop and apologize again and again for invading his privacy. You apologize so many times you’re close to tears again, but Sans hushes you and urges you to keep going. You tell them about how you’ve been trying to plan a way to bring Gaster back, and realized that pieces of him---pieces of his soul---got scattered across the dimensions, the universes, and that the one grayscale monster had a piece.

You don’t tell them about how Gaster yelled at you, the memory alone hurts enough.

Neither of your friends say a word for the longest time, and you’re about to apologize to Sans again when you notice his shoulders trembling. Suddenly, you notices blue, faintly glowing tears running down his cheekbones. He starts laughing so quietly as more tears fall, his shoulders hunched up so tight. Begonia reaches around behind you to rub at his shoulder, and you gently stroke the top of his carpus.

“thanks... for waitin’ ‘till paps went to work to say this… if he knew… if he remembered dad and knew you were trying to help…” He lets out another breathless laugh, “if he had the hope that his dad was comin’ back, only to eventually find out that it’s never gonna happen… his little metaphorical heart would be broken…”

“Sans…” you say softly, “you---you can’t just give up on Gaster like that…” You let his hand go, and Begonia backs off enough for you to wrap your arms around Sans. He tenses, flinching at first at your touch, but as you start to rub circles into his back, as you gently stroke his shoulder, he relaxes a fraction.

“Just because it looks impossible, doesn’t mean it is,” Begonia says, “we just gotta… ya know, get the pieces of his soul back, right?”

“it ain’t as simple as it sounds.” Sans wipes at his eyes and you pull away. He looks at the two of you. “kiddo, lemme tell you somethin’. i was just like you when i first lost him. i worked day and night, i hardly slept or ate for _skeleton_ standards. i... i tried so hard to make that… that _damn_ machine work so i could get him back… but it never worked.” He looks down again.

“What… was the machine meant to do?” Begonia asks.

“i’m sure he told you---” he gently nudges your shoulder “---about the thousands upon thousands of other timelines and dimensions and universes and all that junk,” he continues when you nod, “i knew the pieces of his soul had to be in one of those places. so i started making a machine that would do just that. travel to the other timelines, the other universes. but... i just couldn’t get it to work. no matter what i did, no matter how hard i tried, it would never turn on,” he chuckles weakly, “heh… i guess it was just meant to stay broken. and he’s meant to stay lost…”

“How can you say that, Sans?” you whisper, “he’s your dad… don’t you want to see him again?”

The tears start forming in his sockets once more and he murmurs, “kid... i’d give _anything_ to see him again. he’s my dad. i love him so much, i _miss_ him so much, but… listen, i hate to be a negative nathan here, but there’s just… there’s just no way to save him.”

“No…” Begonia frowns. “There _has_ to be a way to save him.” Her grip tightens on your hand and you feel… you feel determined.

“There has to…” you say quietly, “I won’t give up on helping him… I promised I would help him. I don’t go back on my promises.”

Sans looks at you and… you’ve never seen him look so defeated, so helpless. But he’s smiling. You reach over and use your scarf to wipe away his tears. He chuckles softly, taking your hand in his and resting it on his cheekbone. “you deserve those colors, kiddo…” he murmurs, seemingly more to himself than to you. You notice him looking at where your soul is and look down, then back at him.

Begonia gently nuzzles your shoulder. “You really do.” You smile weakly, closing your eyes and sighing.

“if…” Sans starts. You open your eyes to look at him. “if there’s anyway i can help… just… just let me know, alright?”

“Okay. thanks a bunch Sans.” You squeeze his hand, and he squeezes back. “You’ll see him again, I swear it.”

His smile strengthens just a tad and he gently bonks you on the head with his own. Then he gestures to your neck. “i ain’t the best healer, but… you want me to take a look at that?”

“It looks pretty bad, Honeysuckle,” Begonia frowns as she gets a good look at your neck. You don’t look at either of them, staring at your empty teacup instead. “You should let him look at it.”

“Okay… if… you don’t mind…”

“‘course not.” Sans scoots closer and lifts your chin. There’s a more calculating look in his eyes now, and then his boney hands hover over your neck, mere inches away from the bruises and tiny cuts. His left eye began glowing a faint blue, then his hands started glowing, and your neck is starting to feel a lot better. When he pulls away, he smiles at his handiwork. “there ya go. all done.”

You touch your neck, then return his smile. “Thanks Sans.” You look at Begonia. “And… thanks, Beggy. I---I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“It’s alright, I’m just glad you told me.” She rests her forehead on yours and nuzzles you, then leans back. “You wanna start heading back to your dorm or do you wanna stay?”

“I… can I stay, please? Just for a bit?” You don’t want to go back yet.

“heh, you can stay the night if you wanted, kiddo. i know paps wouldn’t mind.” Sans looks much more relaxed now as he looks at the two of you. “heck, if you both wanna stay, you can. we got a guest room, and obviously the couch.”

And you do. You and Sans and Begonia hang out for the rest of the evening, watching television, making dinner, lazing about. You feel significantly better, even though you know you’ll have to return to your dorm eventually. Your phone and everything is there, you just… right now you want to relax.

Papyrus returns home after work, absolutely overjoyed to see that you and Begonia are still here and that you’re feeling better. He makes you the biggest plate of spaghetti you’ve ever seen and you all marathon Parks and Recreation, all huddled on the couch with you sandwiched between Papyrus and Begonia. You smile softly, sinking into the soft cushions.

You wouldn’t mind staying like this for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man if this chapter hurt you just wait for the next one


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I choked up like three times while writing this chapter.

Gaster had his suspicions the moment he sensed your soul flaring with fear. It’s easy for him to lock onto souls. When he was still… solid, he could lock onto a soul, no matter how far, and follow it---or just teleport to it. He can sense when they are in danger, when they are upset, his sons are no different. It’s just easier in the void.

And so, when he felt you experiencing fear, he thought you were just watching a horror film with Undyne and Alphys. But when he reached their house and didn’t find you there, he felt more suspicious. Then he felt something. The grip on the piece of his soul in this universe slacked, and then--- _oh_.

He felt… a touch. Hands that shake and sweat and tremble scooped at his soul. He could feel the fear, the desperation, the _determination_. He felt his soul easily opening up to the hands that touched it for that short second. He almost forgot what it was like to have his soul touched. And then he could sense your soul panicking.

He sensed your soul dimming, flickering weakly, desperately holding on. He felt his own fear setting deep inside. No no no no _no_. He followed your soul, desperately tearing through the void, past the rivers of timelines, to get to you faster.

He tried so hard to ignore the timelines with you that stopped abruptly. He tried so, so hard to ignore the one timeline out of the corner of his eye, where you lay on the ground, the light leaving your eyes. He’s never moved so fast in his life.

And when he reaches where you are, he finds you. He finds you with _them_ . He noticed the piece of his soul inside the little container you clutch close to you, desperate, protecting it from them. He couldn’t believe it. You risked your life for _that_? A piece of his soul?

If Gabby hadn’t had helped you… If Adrian hadn’t come when they did…

The one timeline he saw flashed in his mind and he let out a shaky breath. His hands shook---his entire form shook so badly. He was so angry, so hurt and sad and scared, he could hardly keep his composure. He refused to leave your side from then on, his eyes never leaving the bruises on your neck.

To say he was angry is an understatement.

Gaster was absolutely furious.

Not just at _them_ for hurting you, for nearly killing you, but at you for lying to him. Of course, he wasn’t just furious. He was hurt, upset, terrified. He couldn’t believe you’d put yourself in such danger---you almost died! What in the world were you thinking? How could you put so little value on your life? Did you not think of your friends? Of him? Of how they would feel if you died by _their_ hands?

He couldn’t think as clearly as he usually did, he couldn’t hold back when he yelled at you. When you left and there was nothing he could do to stop you, he simply brooded. Childish, sure, but he didn’t care at this point. He just _couldn’t understand_ why you would risk your life for him.

And then… memories from long, long ago came flooding back as if to answer his question. Memories of a smile, hands linked in his, eyes that shined and brightened whenever they looked at him and---no. _No_. He refused to recall it. He shoved the memories away and forced himself to find you. As angry as he was, he still worried for you. He truly hoped you wouldn’t wander somewhere while you were upset and get hurt.

When he found you, when he saw just how hurt you were, how dim and gray your soul looked… oh, the anger quickly subsided. Then regret settled deep inside him. He felt like such a fool---no, fool isn’t the right word for this.

He can’t---he won’t sugarcoat how much of a complete and utter ass he had been to you. He yelled at you, he hurt you. He _knew_ how sensitive your soul is to such things, he should have controlled his composure better. Yes, he was angry, upset, terrified for your safety, but that gave him no right to react the way he did.

He is just glad your friends and his sons have more care and tact than he.

Gaster lingered by the couch, watching you, watching your soul dim and gray further. He watched you as Begonia sang to you, as Papyrus stroked your hair and rubbed your back. He watched you the entire time, full of nothing but regret and hatred for himself for being so… so stupid. He wishes he could go back and never say the words he said so harshly to you.

He listened to you and Sans and Begonia talk after Papyrus left for work. He felt the little piece of his soul left ache when he watches his son start crying and saying he misses his father. He watches you and… he couldn’t believe what he heard. Even after he yelled at you, even after he spoke so harshly to you, even after he made you _cry_ , you still wanted to help him. You still wanted to bring him back to his sons, to his friends. He felt didn’t deserve such kindness from you. Slowly but surely your soul gained its vibrancy again. Slowly but surely, you started smiling and laughing again. But he still sensed worry, hesitation to return to your dorm, to the one thing that allowed you to talk to him.

When everything is done, when you hug your friends and bid them goodnight and lay on the couch, he watched you. He saw your soul shift and dim but brighten suddenly, then dim again and he wished he knew what you were thinking, he wished he could speak to you now and apologize over and over to you because it wasn't your fault he was upset earlier. He reached out to grab your hand dangling off the couch, but it just phased through yours.

He frowned, his form starting to tremble again. How he wished he could just hold you now. But he'll have to be patient. So he sat and waited, watching you. You shifted this way and that, finding a comfortable position on the couch and sighing and wiping at your eyes and staring at the clock. He knew why you hesitated to sleep. Your phone might not be with you, but that isn't the only form of communication the two of you have. But as time passed, your eyes finally started to droop close.

As you slept, Gaster reached out to your soul. He called to your soul. There was resistance, more hesitation, but your soul accepted him after some gentle coaxing.

He created a field of flowers within your dream. It felt fitting, honestly. It’s bright, quiet, beautiful, and… calming. He saw you, sitting in the field, pulling out a flower and twisting it between your fingers. You looked so content, so happy. He rolled his shoulders back and held his head high. He slowly approached you. When you noticed him, you tensed and he stopped, his shoulders slacking a bit. He watched you, and you watched him. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t say a word.

You stand, clutching the flower close to your chest and he frowns, looking away. His previous confident demeanor had fallen. His hands folded behind his back were now in front of him, fidgeting. He hunched over as if to appear smaller. He hears you come closer and he looks at you again. He steps closer to you as well, and when you’re within reach, he reaches out to you. You flinch and he immediately retracts his hand.

Again, you both stand there, watching, waiting. You see the pained look in his eyes, and he sees the fear radiating off of your soul. Then you take another step forward. He reaches out again and when you don’t flinch, he pulls you into a tight hug. One hand rubs your back, the other combing your hair with long, bony fingers.

 **[My dear… oh, my darling,]** he says, his voice trembling, **[words cannot express how sorry I am. I wish I had never said those things to you.]**

You’re so tense in his hold it makes his soul ache. He made you afraid of him and he hated himself for it. You mumble, “Gaster…”

But he interrupts you, **[Please, I… it was not my intention to upset you so. I just… I worry for you. I have… I have grown to care so much for you, my dear… And the thought of losing you… it terrified me.]** He squeezes you gently, resting his hand on your head. Slowly, you wrap your arms around him, pressing your face into his warm sweater.

“I care about you, too… that’s why I want to help you,” you murmur into the fabric.

 **[But I do not want you getting hurt. My dear, when I saw that you were with… with** **_them_ ** **, I… I was so afraid I would lose you. But I---I should not have let my feelings cloud my actions. I should not have said the words I said so harshly to you. I… I was an ass.]** He smiles softly when he hears you snort.

“Just a bit,” you chuckle weakly, nuzzling his chest and giving him a squeeze. He holds you tighter and lowers his head, sighing.

**[I am so, so sorry, my dear…]**

“It… it’s not okay, but… I forgive you.” You look up at him. “What I did was… it was stupid and dangerous. You had every right to be upset.”

**[But I had no right to speak to you that way, no matter how upset I was.]**

“Maybe, yeah, but… still, I’m sorry too. I’m sorry for worrying you and upsetting you and… I---I just want to help you, Gaster…” There’s tears in your eyes and your voice is shaking and he hushes you so gently, stroking your hair. “I just…”

**[Shhh, shhhh. It is alright. I forgive you too.]**

“You love your sons so much… and---and Sans misses you too… I just want you to see them again. I want them to see _you_ again. I want you guys to be happy…” Your nuzzle your face into his sweater again, sniffling.

 **[Shhhhhh,]** he says gently, **[I _am_ happy, my dear. I am happy that I get to speak to you. I am happy that you have been so good and so kind to me. Even after the way I spoke to you, I heard you still wanted to help me. Do you know how happy that makes me?] ** He removes his arms from around you to cup your face and make you look at him.

“How happy?” You ask, your voice trembling. He smiles.

**[So, so happy… when I heard that, I felt I did not deserve such kindness from you. I still feel it…]**

“You deserve it, Gaster,” you say, “you deserve all the kindness in the world. You deserve to be happy and safe and to be with your friends and your sons and…” He leans down and rests his forehead on yours. “You’ve been alone in the void for so long… I want to help…”

 **[I appreciate it, my dear. I really do. I deeply appreciate all the effort and time you put into thinking of ways to help me, but… please, promise me something.]** He leans back to look at you, his thumbs running over your cheeks, wiping away some stray tears, and you nod. He closes his eyes, resting his head on yours again. **[Please… do not put yourself in danger again. I do not know what I would do if you got hurt, or worse.]**

You frown, closing your eyes and putting your hands on top of his. “Okay… I… I’ll try…” You whisper. Satisfied, he smiles and places a gentle kiss on your head.

 **[Thank you, my dear.]**  His thumbs stroke your cheeks gently. You close your eyes, gripping at his hands.  **[As for my sons **… I am positive that they are more than happy with you being their friend.]** ** You look up at him. You open your eyes to look at the bright lights in his sockets.  **[I see Papyrus's soul shine and brighten with absolute joy when he sees you. I see Sans's soul calming and lowering his guard. He feels so relaxed around you, he trusts you, my dear. Just as you trust him. They both feel so honored to have you as a friend.]** You stare and stare at him and you're crying again and lower your head, your grip on Gaster's hands tightening.

“I---I… I'm so honored… to have them as my f---friends too,” you hiccup. Again, Gaster holds you close and gently shushes you, petting your hair, placing kisses on your head. You hold onto him so tightly, so afraid that if you let go, he'll vanish and never come back. You look up at him through tear filled eyes, and he cups your face. “I'm s---so honored to have you as m---my friend too, Gaster…”

Something in Gaster's soul ached, and he couldn't figure out why. He felt so happy for you to consider him a friend, yet… he felt as though he wanted more. He wipes your tears away, looking over your face and your soul and he feels something he hasn't felt in so long. He presses his forehead against yours and you close your eyes. He looks over every detail of your face, and the feeling grows. He knows this feeling, and he shoves it away as quickly as possible. He can't possibly think about something like that right now.

 **[I am honored to have you as my… my friend as well, my dear,]** He says softly. He presses a kiss to your head, and you reach up to hold his face. Your thumb runs along the crack under his eye, and then you lean in and press your lips against it. His soul flutters and he wished you didn't do that but at the same time he's so happy you did.  **[Now… would you like to chat?]** You smile and nod. He pulls his hands from your face and grips at yours, giving them a gentle squeeze. You both sit in the field and talk. You sit closer to his side, your legs laying over his lap while his arm draped around your shoulders, his other hand to holding yours. You rest your head against his chest and listen to him tell a tale of one of his many, many experiments.

You listen to him speak while letting your mind wander. Sans said the machine itself was supposed to travel to other timelines, so he could try and find the pieces of Gaster’s soul, but it was never fixed, almost like it was never meant to be fixed.

You frown and sit closer to Gaster, smiling when he squeezes your shoulder. You nuzzle your face into his sweater. He smells of flowers and tea and something else you can’t quite describe, but it’s nice. His hold on you tightens a bit at your gesture, and he nuzzles the top of your head. You smile, closing your eyes.

Sans and Gaster may have given up a long time ago… but that doesn’t mean you’re going to.

You’re going to find a way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have fun with that, my precious chicken niblets. See you Thursday for the next chapter 8)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I tried having things fleshed out in this chapter while also rushing through other things that were honestly not too important, because something extremely important happens near the end of this chapter.
> 
> But hey, you learn a bit about souls here.

You spend the morning---and the rest of the day---with Begonia, Sans, and Papyrus. They’re all so happy you’re feeling much better in the morning, smiling and laughing again. You were happy too, and very, very tired. The last day and a half---or was it two?---has been the biggest emotional roller coaster you’ve ever ridden in a long time. It felt nice to be happy again, to not have to worry too much about everything.

You and Papyrus were currently cuddling on the couch, watching television while waiting for Begonia and Sans to come back from Muffet’s bakery. Since Sans didn’t get the treats Papyrus wanted, he sent Begonia with Sans in hopes of the job actually being done. You’re pretty sure it will get done, but it’ll just take longer since Begonia will be busy flirting it up with Muffet.

Not like you minded, anyhow. Papyrus was being surprisingly quiet and gentle, but still talking eagerly about the Christmas party coming up. He’s mentioned several times how he’s so excited to introduce you to his boyfriend. When you ask why you haven’t met him yet, Papyrus just shifted and said that his boyfriend is always travelling, and you’ll see when you meet him.

He then started to go on a rant about something you honestly weren’t paying the most attention to. You couldn’t help it. You just couldn’t get Gaster off your mind. You weren’t going to give up on him, not now, not ever. But you didn’t know how you could help him. You still had the piece of his soul, but it was just one piece, it won’t be enough. There’s still… god, who _knows_ how many pieces left to find. And with Sans’s machine not working, how were you going to get them? How could you get them? How could you even give the piece you have back to him?

“Human?” Papyrus squeezes you gently. “Is something troubling you?”

You look up at him and smile. “Hmm? Nah, I’m alright, just thinking about school.” Papyrus gives you the look Begonia gives you when she knows something’s bothering you and you won’t talk.

He gives you another gentle squeeze and whispers, “You can tell me. If you don’t want me to tell Sans or Miss Begonia, I won’t. But please… don’t try to hide it.” Your eyes widen, then you frown and look away.

You should have known better than to think Papyrus, of all people, would be naive enough to think everything’s okay. He’s smarter, and much more observant, than… well, _anyone_ gives him credit for. “I’m sorry, Paps…” you say softly, “I… I shouldn’t just try to hide it from you.” You place your hand on his, squeezing it gently. “You’re my friend too, you deserve to know.”

Papyrus gently bonks your head with his teeth. “I forgive you.” You smile up at him.

“I just… I have a lot on my mind.” You fall silent for a brief moment. You know he’ll ask what’s on your mind, and he probably won’t let it go either until Sans and Begonia get home, or until you actually tell him. You can’t tell him about Gaster. Not yet.

“Like what?” Papyrus asks.

“Like…” Should you tell him? It’s not like you promised Sans _not_ to tell Papyrus or anything, but… you’re not sure how he’d react to remembering his father, to finding out you’re trying to help him. “A lot of stuff,” you finally say. Knowing he won’t be satisfied with that answer, you say, “mostly souls.” You fidget with a few locks of your hair. “I’ve been curious about the difference between monster souls and human souls. And a few other things.”

“Oh, is that all?” he laughs, “I could have easily told you that, silly! Being a skeleton and all makes it easier too.”

“Really?” You look up at him and he nods eagerly.

“Of course!”

“What makes skeleton monsters different from others?”

“Well, most monsters can only sense souls, while skeleton monsters…” Papyrus taps at your hand in thought. “Skeleton monsters can _see_ them. It’s… difficult to put into words, but Sans and I---we can sense when souls are sad or angry or upset, yes, but we can see it too.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well…” Papyrus lightly pats at your arm and you sit up, letting him sit up as well and turn the volume down on the TV. You both face each other, and he reaches forward and presses a finger to your sternum, where your soul rests. “Your soul never lies about how you truly feel. The colors can…” He frowns, tapping at his chin to search for the right word.

“Change?”

“No, no. It’s… the colors don't change. It's like…” He opens and closes his hand, his features scrunching up to find the right word.

“Fluctuate?” You try again.

“YES! It can fluctuate! Or the colors can dim or brighten, depending on the mood the person is in!” he puffs out his chest proudly and says, “and we skeleton monsters and lock onto souls easily!”

“Lock… lock onto souls??”

“Yes! It allows us to sense if they are in danger or sad! If Sans stopped being such a lazybones and focused, he’d even be able to teleport to it!”

“Wow…” You pause, blinking and looking at Papyrus. “What about you?” He tilts his head in question, so you elaborate, “can’t you teleport? When I first met Sans, he said it’s inherited among skeletons.”

His face falls into a more somber look. “I… am unsure. Sans… Sans never told me…” Oh no. You feel like you just said something you shouldn’t have.

“W---Well, maybe it’s just something that comes to you, yeah?” You force a smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Papyrus doesn’t say anything at first, but then perks up and nods. “OF COURSE!” He lowers his voice again, “I am sure it came to Sans faster because he wanted to be as lazy as possible.” You laugh at that and he asks, “Is there anything else about souls you would like to know?”

“Yeah, kinda,” he nods for you to continue, so you do, “so… human souls are stronger than monster souls because of their determination, right?”

“Yep!”

“What happens when a human absorbs a monster soul?”

Papyrus’ eager demeanor was quick to fall. His shoulders hunch and he stares at you with a more serious expression. You didn’t think he could look like that. You shift and fidget under his stare, your chest tightening. Again, you feel like you’ve said something you shouldn’t have. “Not good things,” was all Papyrus said, and you nod.

“Okay, sorry for asking. Uhm… what about the other way around? What happens when a monster absorbs a human soul?”

His serious act dropped. His shoulders slumped and it’s his turn to avoid looking at you. He scratched at the back of his skull. “Well… uhm… hmm…” He looks at you again, and you feel like he’s staring right through you. You try not to fidget too much, but you can’t help yourself. He’s silent for just another moment, and then he says, “The monster would be a _lot_ stronger. By a frightening amount. I’m not sure what would happen to their physical form, though.” Again, he has a more serious expression. The way he’s looking at you… you get the feeling he knows you’re up to something. “Why?”

“Just curious,” you say calmly, even if you know your soul will betray you. Your chest tightens and you hope he doesn’t ask any further questions.

Even if he wanted to ask for the truth, Sans and Begonia had returned with the promised pastries. Begonia looked like she was on a cloud, there were so many roses budding off of her. You’re glad they came in when they did. You smile at them, getting up to help with carrying some of the boxes.

“IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU LAZYBONES!” Papyrus shouts, hopping from the couch and taking the treats from Sans. You could feel Papyrus boring holes into your back, but you pretend you’re not paying attention. You’re just glad he doesn’t push the subject further while Begonia and Sans are here. Heck, you’re glad neither of them say anything, because you’re pretty sure your soul is giving you away pretty clearly right now. You can feel Sans staring at you too, but you ignore that too.

You weren’t going to ask Papyrus the other questions you had, he would get suspicious and ask what you were planning. You barely even knew what you were planning yet, but if he found out… you’re not sure how he’d react.

He’d probably cry or beg for you to not do it, maybe even lock you in a room to stop you. Sans? He… you don’t know. You’ve never seen him look serious, and if Papyrus’s serious stare made you uncomfortable, you’re pretty sure you would blabber everything. Not to mention, you felt like you just started something between Papyrus and him without meaning to. It only made you feel worse. You _definitely_ didn’t want Begonia finding out, you knew for a fact she would flip.

But you push the thoughts aside and make a mental note to try and ask Alphys tomorrow instead. You knew she knew a bit about souls, and hopefully it would be enough for you to go off of.

None of your friends ask anything, and you do your best to hide the fact that you were nervous, especially after your talk with Papyrus. You’re grateful none of them said anything, but you’re sure soon one of them will.

You couldn’t let them stop you. Not when you were getting so close.

Begonia and the skeleton brothers walk you head back to your dorm after dinner and, after receiving many loving hugs and promising to have another hangout session before the Christmas party, you wave them off and enter your dorm. You grab your phone from the bed and turn your phone back on, noticing you got a few texts from Adrian and Muffet and your grandparents.

Muffet and Adrian wanted to make sure you were feeling alright, and you were quick to reply to them that you’re fine now. Then you read the text from your grandparents. The presents are here now, and you tell them you’ll be there early tomorrow and change into your pajamas. You were so excited about the presents for your friends, and thinking about Gaster, you hardly slept a wink.

And so, after getting about three hours of sleep, you hurriedly stumble around your dorm and change your clothes. All the while Gaster gently and playfully scolds you for not getting enough sleep. You smile softly, glad that things are alright. But you can hear the slight strain in his voice, the hesitation, and you know you sound like you’re thinking before speaking too.

Things are… better, sure, but the memories of him yelling at you are still fresh. Despite you both talking, despite the apologies, it still hurt to remember. And you’re sure it hurt Gaster too. At least you’re both trying not to make it awkward.

But something else seemed off. Gaster didn’t say anything about your talk with Papyrus. He didn’t mention any of that, and his tone sounded… off. You’re not sure what it was, but you’re half grateful he didn’t say anything.

Once you have everything together, you drive to your grandparents house. You arrive and greet them with hugs and smiles and they help you wrap up everything. You draw some cute little bones on the card to the skeleton brothers (you add a ketchup bottle for Sans), a fish and a spear for Undyne, a cute little anime face for Alphys, flowers for Begonia, and a video game controller for Adrian.

And as soon as you’re done, you have brunch with them, telling them you’ll ask for Toriel’s address as soon as you can. Then you got a call from your boss and was asked if you could come in and stay until closing. As much as you didn’t want to, you wouldn’t mind the extra hours and money, so you take it.

You proceed to apologize to your grandparents about the inconvenience, but they wave it off and wish you a good day. You head back to your dorm to get your work clothes on and hurry there. You’ve never seen it so rushed before with people coming in and out with pet supplies and kittens and puppies as presents. It made you want to be here less, but you didn’t let it stop you.

You focused on your goal for tomorrow. Go see Alphys, ask her the questions you had, and then… If your theory is correct, you’ll be able to go through with a new, stupid plan you had. Focusing on that helped you get through work with little problems, and so you head back to your dorm and sleep a dreamless sleep.

It only made you more worried. Gaster is being so eerily quiet, so strangely distant. He didn’t leave any texts in your phone while you were working, he didn’t visit you in your dream. What’s wrong with him? It---well, it’s not like you both wouldn’t want a little bit of space after what happened, but it’s still strange for him to act this way. You frown as you look at your phone. You didn’t realize how lonely it felt not to have him text or call you.

You shake your head, forcing the thoughts away and you start typing a text to Alphys.

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Alphys, you busy?_

_Alphys:_

_Nope. Undyne just left for work, what’s up? ^.^_

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Wanna hang for a bit?_

_Alphys:_

_Sure! I found a new anime we can watch too!_

You sigh and run your fingers through your hair, then start your car. You drive to Alphys and Undyne’s apartment, find a parking spot, and go up the steps two at a time. You look at the date again. December the 18th… you have about a week before the party. Plenty of time to put your growing plan into action.

And if everything worked out, you’ll have another Christmas present ready or Sans and Papyrus, as well as Gaster. Hopefully. You knock on the door to Alphys’s apartment, probably a bit more eagerly than you meant to. She opens the door and beams up at you.

“Hey!” She steps to the side and lets you in. You rub your cold hands together and breathe into them. “Wuh---Would you like s---some hot chocolate?” Alphys asks as she shuts the door.

“That’d be perfect, thanks Alphys.” You smile and follow her into the small kitchen. “I know you said there’s some anime you wanted to watch, but… I was hoping we could talk about…” You fidget with your scarf and watch her. She’s paused, looking at you and waiting, but you notice the slight worry in her eyes. “About souls.” You see her relax a bit and she starts making the hot chocolate.

“Ab---bout souls?” She looks at you again. “Why?”

“Curiosity. Beggy and Adrian only told me a little about both human and monster souls, but that’s about it.” You pull and tug at your scarf, not looking at her. “I mean---if you don’t want to, that’s okay.”

“N---No! It’s o---okay! I wuh---was just c---cuh---confused,” Alphys hurriedly stammers out. Then she smiles, fidgeting with her hands. “I---I wouldn’t mind t---t---telling you w---what I know.” When the hot chocolate is ready, she plops some little marshmallows into the two mugs and offers you one. It’s a simple, but adorable mug with a kitty face on it. You take it and smile, then sit at the table with her.

“So,” she starts, “what d---do you know a---about souls?”

“Well, I know that human souls are stronger than monsters because of their determination,” you say, letting the hot mug warm your cold fingers. You decide to play your cards differently with Alphys. She’s observant, sure, but not as observant as Papyrus or Sans. You won’t have to hold back as many of your questions with her. “And… there’s something about magic with monster souls, right?”

“Yuh---Yes. All m---monsters have m---magic, even if it’s n---not much.” You’re quickly reminded of Adrian, but push the thought aside and nod for Alphys to continue, “The m---magic in monster s---souls lets their bodies live a l---luh--- _lot_ longer than humans, even though th---their souls are s---stronger.” She looks at her hot chocolate and sips at it, then looks back at you. “D---Do you know what h---happens to a monster when they die?”

“They turn to dust,” you say quietly. Alphys nods, frowning.

“Yes… m---monsters souls aren’t s---strong enough t---t---to handle being o---out of their b---body for too long…”

 _Gaster and Gabby being the exception._ You don’t say the thought outloud. You sip at your own hot chocolate as Alphys continues explaining, “When a m---monster dies, they _and_ th---their soul t---turns to duh---dust. But there are m---monsters who are r---really strong, and we cuh---call them boss monsters. They h---have stronger souls, but not a---as strong as a human’s. It’ll s---still turn to dust wuh---when the monster dies, but after a f---few seconds.”

You frown. It didn’t feel fair. Even if a monster was really strong, stronger than even Gaster or Asgore or Undyne, it didn’t matter. They’d still turn to dust, their soul would still be destroyed. You look down at your mug and notice you’re gripping it a little too tightly. You loosen your grip and look back at Alphys, willing the thoughts away.

“What about humans? When they die, what happens to their soul?”

“It’s struh---strong enough to live on outside o---of their body. U---Usually it f---finds a new unborn v---vessel. Think of it like… r---reincarnation,” she waves her hand about, saying, “The human s---soul can live for as l---long as monsters, but their b---bodies can’t. If humans had m---magic in them like m---monsters, their b---doies would most l---likely live just as long as w---we do instead of l---lasting around eighty to a---a hundred years at m---most.”

“Wow… do… do some humans have magic in them?” You ask. Alphys frowns and fidgets about. “Or has magic been put into them at some point?”

“I... uhm…” You tilt your head and she looks away. You feel guilty already, thinking you went too far, but she says, “B---Buh---Buh---Back in th---the day… h---humans used t---to have muh---magic too… not a---anymore, though.” She starts fidgeting around. “But uhm---a h---human can h---have magic i---injected… i---i---injected into th---them, but it… it’s n---n---not a f---fun p---puh--- _puh_ \--- _process_ …” Her face is red when she finally spits out the last word. She huffs and puffs and you let her catch her breath.

“Oh.” Is all you can say. You decide to ask something else, “So… what would happen if a portion of a human soul is taken?”

She blinks, looking at you. She finishes off her hot chocolate and sets the mug aside. “Like… th---their determination?”

“No, no, not just that. Like their _actual_ soul.” You finish off your own mug and set that aside too. “Like a piece of it just being chipped off. What would happen to the human? Or the monster that absorbs it?”

She stares at you for a long time, disbelieving, then says, “The m---monster… w---would be a _lot_ stronger, even i---if it was just a small puh---piece.” She scratches at her cheek and takes off her glasses to clean them. “I… I honestly d---don’t know what w---would happen t---to the human…” She puts her glasses back on and says, “it’s… i---incredibly dangerous and p---painful to have your s---soul attacked. And t---to have a---a piece _taken?_ I… I don’t nuh---know if the soul w---would survive the trauma. It… it’s n---never been tested before… I h---hope it _never_ gets t---t---tested. That’d be m---much too d---dangerous and a---agonizing for the puh---patients.”

“I see…” You glance to the side, your brows furrowing. “What if… a monster had part of their soul gone, too? If a human soul is used to fill in the missing pieces, what… what would happen?”

Her brows furrow as she looks at you. You shift around, but don’t look away. Then she shrugs helplessly. “I---I don’t know, I’m s---sorry… I…” She glances to the side, looking thoughtful. “I think… I th---think it would. L---Like I said, the m---m---monster would be s---stronger, a lot stronger, but… maybe it w---would fill in the m---mising pieces of th---their own soul… and the m---monster might connect w---with the human on a cuh---completely different level…” She looks at you again. “Nothing like th---that has ever h---happened before, so I’m n---not positive.”

You smile, reaching across the table and gripping her clawed hand. “Thanks, Alphys. I appreciate you answering my questions. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Oh, i---it’s a---alright.” She smiles. If she had any sort of inkling that she was suspicious of your questions, she didn't show. Although she did look at you longer than comfortable with a strange, calculating look in her eyes. “I---I was more th---than happy t---to answer,” she says quietly.

You nod to the living room and ask, “You wanna watch some anime now?”

She visibly perks up at the offer and nods. You both refill on hot chocolate and proceed to watch anime for the nex… goodness, you have no idea how long, but it’s already four when you check the time. Undyne will probably be home in a little bit, and you know that if you start this new series you’ll be stuck here until she gets home, and then you’ll _really_ be stuck.

You don’t have time to waste watching anime and hanging out with your friends. You want to, sure, but there’s another friend that needs you. You apologize to Alphys and say you have to go help your grandparents get ready for Christmas and leave after giving her a big hug and thanking her again. Once the door to her apartment is shut, you hurry down the steps and to your car.

You get in your car and start driving back to your college. The sun is already almost down… You hurry to your dorm and grab the tupperware container with Gaster’s soul in it. You notice it pulsing weakly, bits of purple swirling with the gray, dimming and brightening at random. You walk back to your car and slide into the driver’s seat, putting the container into the passenger seat. You grip the wheel to your car tightly and close your eyes, taking a deep, deep breath.

This is stupid. This is so, so stupid. Gaster won’t agree with this, you know he won’t agree, but you’ll find a way to convince him. You huff and nod to yourself, putting your seatbelt back on and starting you car.

You’re filled with so much determination it almost hurts.

You drive back to Mt. Ebott and park your car. You grab the container, exit the car, and then start walking along the mountain path. The sun is already down, the moon rising in the sky. You use the flashlight on your phone to make sure you don’t trip on anything or deviate from the path. There’s a gentle snowfall and you smile. You’re sure Papyrus will be overjoyed tomorrow. You’re pretty sure it won’t be much, but it’ll definitely stick. Whether it’ll be packing snow or powdery snow, you’re not sure, it’s not like you’re an expert on the stuff.

You notice no one walking the path and when you find an area to stop you pull out your phone. You call your grandparents and tell them you’ll be hanging out with a new friend for a few days, and tell them not to worry if you don’t answer their texts or calls. Of course, they trust you. They wish you have a good time, and mention that they want to meet this new friend. You smile and promise you’ll introduce them to him later. You also promise that they’ll love him, and then hang up.

You grip the phone tightly, staring at the dark screen. **[…Gaster?]** you whisper, **[Gaster, you there?]**

It’s a full minute and a half before your phone vibrates. Call from unknown number---or no number, really. You answer the call and press the phone to your ear. **[Yes, my dear?]** Gaster’s voice is soft, unsure. You know he’s there with you, you know he sees the piece of his soul in the container, you don’t blame him for being hesitant. He doesn’t know what you’re thinking right now.

 **[Gaster, promise you’ll let me tell you what I want to tell you without interruption,]** you say, **[it’s nothing… terrible.]** Maybe.

There’s a pregnant silence, you hear a quiet sigh and Gaster says, **[Okay… what is it?]** He sounds even more hesitant than before.

 **[I… think I have an idea on how to bring you back…]** he says nothing, so you continue, **[it’s… stupid, and dangerous. Probably. I don’t know. But---I was talking with Alphys and…]** You trail off, watching the snowfall in front of you. Everything is so quiet, so tranquil. Will this even work? What if it didn’t and Gaster would still be trapped? You… No, no, no, you can’t think like that. This will work. _This will work._

You didn’t realize that your hands were shaking, that your breathing had stuttered until Gaster called your name, snapping you out of it. You purse your lips, take a deep breath, and then say, **[I talked to Alphys about souls. I… asked her about what would happen if… a portion of a monster soul is missing, and takes a piece of a human soul to fill in the blank spaces…]** again, you trail off, this time trying to see if Gaster was catching your hint.

**[My dear… you cannot possibly be suggesting…]**

**[Gaster,]** you say, your tone quiet yet firm, **[do you trust me?]**

**[Yes, of course.]**

**[Then take a piece of my soul.]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (⊙‿⊙)
> 
> See you Saturday, my lovelies.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Have some tunes for this chapter.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3sJ79C1Zyo)

**[Absolutely not!]**

**[Gaster---]**

**[I listened to you, now please listen to me.]** He tries to keep his composure, to not snap at you, but he couldn’t help himself there. You flinch a little, hoping he didn’t catch it.

You purse your lips and nod. **[Okay…]**

He continues, **[If I take your soul, yes, it** **_might_ ** **fill in the missing pieces for mine, it** **_might_ ** **ground me into this time, this dimension and universe, but it could kill you. Your soul, it… it is fragile… it might not survive the trauma of a piece being taken.]**

 _“You think it’ll fill in those little craters in your own soul?”_ The grayscale monster’s words echoed in your mind right there. You grip your phone tightly and frown. You know your soul isn’t in the best of shapes, but… **[Don’t you trust me?]** You whisper.

 **[Of course I do! But… My dear, I cannot do such a thing. Not to you, not to** **_anyone_ ** **.]**

**[But---]**

**[Nx, I cxnxxt!]** He interjects.

**[Gaster, just listen to me!]**

You argue with him for a solid hour. Gaster has to pause every few minutes to regain his composure, to let the static quiet so he may keep talking to you, but you’re dead set on this. There’s no way _anyone_ will know how it will work out, not until you try. You know your soul is cracked, damaged, you might not survive the encounter no matter how much determination you have, but if there’s even a slight chance of him returning…

 **[I cannot---I** **_will not_ ** **risk you getting seriously injured or worse, dying, in the process. You still have so much to do with your life, so much to live for. You cannot throw it all away for me, please.]** It sounds like he’s close to crying. Your vision blurs with tears and you wipe them away. **[You promised me you would not put yourself in danger again,]** he says, his voice quivering, **[my dear, please. I care about you too much to… I---I could never do such a thing to you.]**

 **[I know, I know… but I trust you, Gaster. I know you would never do it to actually hurt me.]** You swallow the forming lump in your throat and force a smile. **[I know I still have a lot to do in my life, but you know what? You missed a lot of your life---a lot of your son’s lives. You deserve to be happy, to be with them and Asgore and all your other friends again.]**

Gaster stutters a sigh. **[My dear… why are you so bent on this? What you are doing---what you have done for me… talking to me, letting me visit your dreams and spending time with me, even learning my language… What you have done is enough---more than enough! So why…?]**

 **[Because you’ve been in the darkness for too long… you deserve to see the light again. You deserve to see your sons. I’ll keep saying it because it’s true! Doctor Wingdings Gaster,** **_you deserve to be happy!_ ** **]**

 **[I already told you, I am happy! And… you deserve happiness as much as I do,]** he says softly.

You frown and look at your feet. You don’t reply immediately, clutching the container close to your chest. You open your mouth, then close it. You don’t know if you deserve as much happiness as him. But you do know that… that if this works… you deserve to be happy about that. If this works… even if you die in the process… so long as Gaster is able to return to his sons and his friends, that will be enough for you.

 **[I know,]** you whisper, **[but Gaster… trust me…]** You lift your head and smile. **[I’ll be fine. I know I will, I’m** **_positive_ ** **I will be fine. Please… let me do this for you.]**

Gaster says nothing for so long, you think he hung up on you, but you still hear the soft static. Your fingers are so cold at this point, you’re sure your nose and ears are beet red by now, but you don’t care. You continue to stand there, watching the trees get a thin layer of white on them, occasionally shaking the snow off yourself.

The entire time he’s quiet, you continue to think to yourself that this will work it _will_. You’re determined it will, and you’ll be fine. You’ll be okay. You’ll get to see your own friends again, and---and Gaster will be with you. You’ll get to introduce him to your grandparents and you know they’ll love him and be so nice to him and invite him to dinner. You know Asgore will be so happy to see him again. You know Sans and Papyrus will be overjoyed. You know.

You know…

…

You’re…

You’re determined. You’re so determined you’re going to succeed, to live to see him outside of your dreams.

And yet…

A small part of you doesn’t mind if you die.

Finally, Gaster speaks, **[Okay… I believe you… I---I trust you, my dear.]** You smile so brightly, despite being sure that he’s not smiling back.

**[Thank you so much, Gaster, I know this’ll work. Now we just… need to find out how to get this piece of your soul back to you, maybe it’ll help solidify you in this dimension?]**

**[I… I know of… one way. I have only done this once before, but let us see if I can do it again.]** There is a brief silence, and then he says, **[There we go. Walk around the tree in front of you.]** And you do.

On the other side of the tree is a simple, gray door. You look at your phone, but the call is over. You stuff it into your pocket and hold the container close to you, reaching for the doorknob with your other hand. You touch it---it’s not as cold as you thought it would be, it’s actually quite warm---and turn it.

The door opens and you hesitantly step inside, the door quietly shutting behind you. The first thing you notice is that it’s much warmer in here than it is outside. The single hallway is also gray, and short, it can’t be more than a few feet long, the room it’s leading to seems to be rather small as well. The second thing you notice is the tall, dark figure in the middle of the room. You slowly walk towards him.

You stop right in front of him and stare at Gaster---at his true form. He is frowning, not looking at you, fidgeting. He’s clearly uncomfortable with you seeing him like this. You drop the container, the soft clatter startling him into looking at you. He’s… it really does look like he’s melting, just like when he loses his composure in your dreams. Just like in the pictures he was in.

You reach out to him. **[Gaster?]** You say softly. He flinches and you retract your hand, but then he reaches out to you with a white, gooey hand. You take it---it feels like soft, warm puddy. You look up at him again and he smiles.

 **[Hello, my dear…]** You blink, the corners of your lips twitching into a smile. This isn’t a dream. He’s here--- _really here_ . You’re touching him, you’re talking to him, and this isn’t a dream! You step forward and throw your arms around him. He sputters and says, **[M---My dear, please, it will get in your hair!]** You don’t care he’s getting goop in your hair and on your clothes. It’s not even sticking to you. As it drops onto you, it slides right off and slithers back to Gaster. You keep holding him tightly and, eventually, he hugs you back.

 **[Gaster,]** you breathe, pulling away to look up at him. **[It’s not a dream, it---it’s real. It’s really you…]** You reach for his face and again, he flinches, but you keep reaching for him until you’re holding his melting, puddy-like face in your hands. **[It’s you…]** You smile, running your thumbs along his cheeks, some of the white goop getting stuck on your thumbs for a brief second before easily sliding off.

Soon, he returns the smile and, with shaking hands, holds your face as well. **[It is not a dream, no… this is… what I look like now…]** He says quietly. He removes his hands from your face and pulls away from you. You get a good, long look at his entire form, and then back at his face.

 **[Not for long,]** you smile and say, **[don’t worry. It’ll be okay. Can you… show me your soul?]** You bend down and grab the container, holding it ready. He hesitates, then presses his hand to his chest and makes a pulling motion. Out comes his soul and oh… oh, it’s so cracked and small and gray you can barely see the bits of purple in it.

You pull open the container and present it to him, and he doesn’t even need to reach out to take it. It just floats back towards him, melding with the tiny piece of his soul left. It pieces itself back together, and there’s a bit more purple than gray now, some of the cracks even healed themselves. He’s not as melty, he’s starting to regain a bit of his form, but… it’s not enough. There’s still pieces missing. You look at him and he’s fidgeting again, looking so unsure.

 **[It’s okay, Gaster. I’m ready,]** you say in a soft tone, smiling up at him. He takes a deep breath and nods. He reaches out to your chest and makes a fist, then pulls his hand back towards him.

You feel a pulling sensation, nothing like Sans teleporting you. It feels like something is being carefully removed from your chest and there is and your soul is out and---oh… you now know what he means by how damaged it is. You see the cracks, the small patches of gray over the red and purple. You see the red blazing so brightly and it only makes you feel more determined.

 **[It is not too late to… t---to change your mind…]** Gaster says. You look at him and shake your head. You’ve already gone this far. You can’t go back now---you won’t go back now. You’re so close.

Your hands clench into fists. **[It’ll be okay, Gaster. It’ll be just fine.]**

Gaster is clearly hesitating, looking at your face, then your soul, then back you. His hands are shaking so bad, but he lifts one and stares intensely at your soul. You screw your eyes shut and brace yourself.

You didn’t know what to expect, to have a piece of your soul removed and taken away from you. The pain is excruciating---no, there’s no word to describe this agony. You open your mouth as if to scream, but only a wheezing gasp leaves you. Your soul retreats back into your chest and fall to your knees, and then the floor.

Everything goes black.

Gaster doesn’t waste time to pull the piece of your soul into himself. But he is still careful, still gentle, because it’s still a piece of you, even if it will become a piece of him soon. Your soul gives no resistance when he pulls it into his own. As he does, as it becomes his, he feels so much. He feels the fear you wield, the pain you hold inside you, the self-doubt. He feels the love you have for your grandparents, your friends, for _him_.

He feels it, just a portion of it, but it’s so overwhelming. Despite the hurt you have, you still hold so much love. He didn't even realize he was crying.

His soul morphs this way and that, slowly forming into a perfect heart, not a single missing piece to be seen. It changed from gray to a bright, vibrant purple with the smallest patches of red swirling in it. A good portion of the cracks had healed, though some stayed.

He watches his hands no longer melt. They start to solidify, _he_ starts to solidify. He can feel himself no longer being bound to the void, to the endless darkness. He can no longer see the other timelines, the other universes. He feels… heavy, grounded. In a good way. In the best way possible.

He touches his face, he feels the cracks running down his cheekbone and up his skull. He touches his turtleneck, his coat, the clothes he’s worn for hundreds of years and---and it’s _real._ He’s real, he’s here, he’s really really _here_ and he feels… he feels strong. So much stronger than he’s ever felt it almost hurts and part of him can’t help but think he took too much of your soul, but he pushes that thought aside. It’s too late to regret that now.

He can feel his magic within him flaring, begging to be released after hundreds of years of not being used. As a final test, he taps into his magic to summon an old friend. His eyes glow purple, and it’s almost like he hasn’t been trapped in the void for half of his life, he summons the ‘Blaster so easily.

It looks… different from the last time he used it. It’s bigger, that’s for sure, possibly rivaling Asgore’s height. And instead of being just a head, it had a skeletal body to go with it, though it was nothing like a canine’s skeletal form. Not completely, anyway. Perhaps it has something to do with the extra power he has? He shakes his head and de-summons the ‘Blaster. He doesn’t have time to think about that. It worked, he’s here, he’s back.

And you’re not moving. Oh no, oh no.

He kneels by your side and is so careful to cradle you in his arms, so scared he might break you. He checks your pulse and looks at your soul as he does. Your heart's still beating, you’re still breathing. You’re still alive, if only barely. But your soul… it’s so dim and weak and---the cracks are getting worse and it’s gone almost completely gray.

No, no, no…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me and cliffhangers man. We're going steady now.
> 
> See you Tuesday :3


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This chapter is over 5000 words kill me.   
> But I'm giving this to you guys early because I got some last minute school work to finish and because I love you guys.
> 
> I bet you all have been waiting for like ever for these guys to finally show up.
> 
> THERE'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE NOTES AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER. Just so ya know. Enjoy, my precious chicken niblets.

Gaster wastes no time. He lifts you from the ground, holding you so carefully in his arms, and quickly leaves the tiny pocket dimension he created. The door shuts behind him and he turns to it. His eyes glow and he summons a hand similar to his own. It makes a zipping motion, and the door is gone. The hand vanishes and he shifts your weight in his hold, his eyes glowing brighter.

Despite how long it’s been since he’s used his magic, it still comes to him so quickly, so easily. He barely even needs to focus, he’s teleported to his lab more times than he could possibly count, and it has never moved once in any of the other timelines. And that is the first place he takes you. He summons more hands to shove the papers and blueprints aside off one of the tables---they mean nothing to him right now---and carefully lays you down. You’re shivering, your soul is so dim…

He pulls your phone out of your coat pocket and uses the bright screen as a light, then starts rummaging through every one of his cabinets. There has to be something here---he knows there’s something here than can help you. He looks at long forgotten jars and beakers filled with salves and liquids. None of them are meant for the soul. He mutters a curse and continues looking, his movement quick and borderline frantic.

His soul aches and pulses so painfully against his chest the more he looks and finds nothing. He can’t lose you, he  _ can’t _ . He doesn’t know if he’ll be able to go through that pain again. Not again, not after so long of---

“Guh….” you wheeze, making Gaster freeze in place. He whips around to look at you. You shiver again, your hands shaking. “Gas...ter….” Your soul flickers and flutters and the cracks are getting worse. “Guh---Gaster…” You’re scared, so scared. He can feel it. He grabs a cloth and hurries to your side and shushes you. He pets your hair and dabs the sweat off your head.

**[Shhh, shhhhhh, it is alright,]** he says gently, hoping you can hear him. Oh, he hopes you can hear him.  **[My dear, my darling, do not worry. You may rest easy, everything is alright, everything is okay. I am here. I am here and I will not leave you.]**

Your soul shifts and the colors brighten some. He continues whispering to you,  **[I am here, my darling. Your hypothesis was correct. I am here, in this dimension, this timeline. It worked. Please, my darling, hold on just a little longer. It is my turn to help you.]** Your shivers calm, your soul stills, but is not getting any better. He summons more hands to continue to dab the sweat away and pet your hair, as it seems to help keep you calm. 

He continues to search, muttering to himself and hissing a curse when he finds nothing. He bites at a knuckle, looking at you. You seem to be… well, as alright as you can be considering your condition. He strides over to your side again and places a chaste kiss to your head. He then teleports out of his small lab for a moment, just a moment, to search the rest of the lab. There had to be something here---if not in his lab, then somewhere else---for him to use to help you.

But there is  _ nothing _ . He searched high and low, under every nook and cranny in the dark lab and there’s nothing. All the leftover Determination Alphys had is gone, none of the things he found can help your soul. 

Not even his own magic could help you. His magic is powerful, yes, perhaps even  _ more _ powerful now. He is a very skilled healer, yes. But he is skilled with physical wounds, not ones of the soul. Healing wounds of the soul is close to impossible, but there are those that know how to do it, albeit a very slight few. 

But the only person he knows of that is good at healing a soul is…

Is…

He hurries back to his lab and grabs your phone, then scoops you up into his arms with the utmost urgency and delicacy. You groan and whimper, “Gaster…”

**[Shhh, my darling, I am here, I have you,]** he gently shushes you and you still in his hold. He presses his forehead against yours and closes his eyes. He has to focus this time, to remember where the house is in this specific universe, this specific timeline. He’s so thankful that most of the time, it’s generally in the same area.

He teleports out of the lab and in front of a house. He doesn’t teleport inside, oh goodness no. He knew better than to sneak up on the resident inside. He looks at you. The teleportation didn’t seem to bother you, that’s good. He glances at the windows of the house this time. The lights are still on, thank the stars. He rushes to the front door and bangs on it with a hand he summoned.

**[My lady! My lady Toriel!!]** he calls,  **[Toriel, please open the door! I need you!]** There’s a slight commotion inside, and he hears Toriel saying something, and the door opens. The hand he summoned disappears. Toriel looks down at Gaster, brows furrowed.

“My good sir, do you know what… time it…” she trails off. She looks at Gaster’s face, sees how he’s holding you close to him and is so close to tears. She senses the weakness of your soul and she gasps. 

**[My lady, please…]** Gaster holds you closer, his hands trembling so bad.  **[Please help her.]**

“Oh my stars… P---Please, please come in. Follow me.” Gaster doesn’t need to be told twice, he’s practically on her heels when she guides him inside and into an empty guest room. “On the bed, hurry now.” He carefully places you on the bed, his hand lingering on your cheek, and he pulls away. He steps back as Toriel kneels by the bed on the other side, taking your hand in her paws.

There’s a calculating look in her eyes as she looks you over. She checks your pulse, checks for a fever, and then she leans back. “If not the body, then…” she murmurs, more to herself than Gaster. And with such tenderness Gaster can expect from no one else  _ but  _ Toriel, she coaxes out your soul. A more audible gasp leaves her when she sees it. The edge where he took a piece is so cracked and grayed, and that doesn’t even begin to describe the rest of it. He can barely even see the bits of red and purple in your soul.

Toriel cups it in her hands and they start to glow a gentle orange. They’re both so quiet, gazing intently at your soul. Gaster fidgets and pulls and tugs at his coat, watching you, watching Toriel, watching your soul. He sees the cracks healing, just by the tiniest of fractions. He chews at his knuckle again, looking back at your face. Sometimes you would flinch and inhale, but then calm and you would look so peaceful. He would smile if he wasn’t so worried for you.

But you were going to be okay, he had to tell himself. Toriel is helping you, Toriel knows what she’s doing. You were going to heal, you were going to wake up and see your friends and give them their presents he knows they’ll love, and… and you’ll be able to see him more than just in your dreams. You’ll be able to talk to him and show him to the best library in town and---and you’ll be with him.

His hands shake. He wants so badly to hold you in his arms, to pet your hair and stroke your back and hold your face. He wants so badly to see your eyes shine again when you talk about your passions, to see your smile that made him melt. He wants so badly to hear your voice, your laugh. He…

He just wants you to wake up.

He feels a little hand tug at his pants leg and looks down. A small child is looking at you, then at Gaster. They tug at his pants again and point to the door. He glances to Toriel. She’s so engrossed in her work. He looks at you again. He doesn’t want to leave your side, not now, not yet, but he also doesn’t want to distract Toriel. 

So he follows the child out into the living room and sits on the couch with them. They lift their hands and sign,  ***You wanna see the pictures I drew?*** They tilt their head and Gaster forces a small smile.

**[Yes, I would love to,]** he says. The child blinks and frowns.

***I’m sorry, I can’t understand you.*** Oh… right. Not everyone can understand Wingdings.

He presses his fist to his chest and moves it in a circular motion,  ***I am sorry, my child. I would love to see your drawings,*** he signs,  ***I am Doctor Wingdings Gaster. You may simply call me Gaster. It is a pleasure to meet you.*** They blink and smile so big at him, bouncing on their feet.

***It’s nice to meet you too! I’m Frisk.*** They grab a handful of the drawings from the coffee table and sit next to Gaster, presenting the papers. They point to each one and describe in great detail what it is and what made them want to draw it. Some were just ones they wanted to draw for their friends, others were because it was an assignment their teacher gave them.

Deep down, Gaster still worries for you so, but he trusts Toriel, and he deeply appreciates Frisk helping. The drawings… the ones of his sons, of Asgore, of his friends… it made him think. How could he possibly approach any of them? Toriel was the exception because of the urgency, but everyone else? He wasn’t sure. He’d be lying if he said he is… just a little afraid.

After all this time of being gone, being forgotten, how can he enter their lives again? Will they accept him? Will they reject him? What if they were angry at him? What if---

He feels Frisk tugging at his sleeve and looks at them. They frown, patting at his arm and huffing.  ***You’re thinking too much,*** they sign. He smiles and forces a chuckle.

***Is it that obvious, my child?***

They knock at the air,  ***Yes.*** Their bluntness made a real chuckle leave him. They get an idea and grin widely, hopping off the couch and starting up the game system underneath the television. They grab a controller and plop right into Gaster’s lap, beaming up at his questioning stare, then signs,  ***Watch me play!***

The title ‘Dark Cloud 2’ came up on the screen and Frisk started a new game, signing for Gaster to pay very close attention. They were trying so hard to not let him think too much, to not let him worry about you. He deeply appreciated it, he really did. And he watched Frisk play the game, wrapping his arms around them. They snuggled close to his chest to get more comfy and continued playing, pausing every few seconds to sign to Gaster about the characters.

As time passed, Frisk was slowly drifting off, so Gaster paused the game---after much fiddling with the controller. He’ll never admit that it gave him more trouble than it should have---and laid Frisk on one end of the couch. He sat on the other end, twiddling his thumbs, bouncing his knee, summoning and dismissing hands and bones and almost summoned a ‘Blaster in the middle of the living room but stopped himself.

He wanted to see you, to know that you’re okay, but he willed himself not to go back to the room. So he focuses on it, he locks onto it. Before it was so weak and brittle, but he can feel it getting stronger. Little by little, it’s getting its vibrancy back.

Ten more minutes of fidgeting and worrying went by, then Toriel came into the room, looking very tired. He didn’t blame her. She smiled at him and picked up Frisk. “Give me one moment, please,” she whispers. He nods, and she vanishes down the hall. After another five minutes, she returns and sits next to him. 

“She is… alright, for the time being. She might be asleep for about three, maybe four days, give or take.” She sighs and rubs her paws together. “It is not a sickness of the body, but of the soul. The trauma of having a piece taken---it will need time to come to terms with the fact that a piece of it is permanently gone. I am unsure if it will affect her body or her emotions when she wakes.”

Toriel frowns. “She might be physically weaker, she might become more sensitive, I… this has never happened before, so I cannot give a full report on what might happen to her,” she explains, making small gestures here and there. Gaster listens, nodding and forcing himself not to pull at the sleeve of his coat again.

“I can tell you, however, that she will live.” He let out a sigh and pressed a hand to his chest. Oh… thank goodness. He felt a good portion of his worry dissipating when he heard Toriel tell him that and he smiled at her.

**[Thank you so much, my lady,]** he says.

Then he frowns and is about to sign his thanks to her, but she says, “It is no trouble at all, dear.” She pauses, looking away and staring at the television. She takes the controller and fiddles around with it, then places it by the console and turns it off. She sits back down next to him and stares at her paws. 

“She kept saying the name Gaster while she slept. And every time she would say the name, she would worry and her soul would…” Toriel shook her head. “She is okay now, but… my friend, are you Gaster?”

He tenses, gripping at his hands tightly and nods.  **[Yes.]**

“Strange, it… the name is so familiar to me…” Toriel places a paw on his shoulder and he flinches. “Have we met before, dear?”

**[You could… say that,]** he murmurs. He doesn’t look at her. As he starts fidgeting again, the paw on his shoulder moved to grip his hand and he froze. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.  **[We… we knew each other well… You…]** He looked at Toriel. She nodded for him to continue.

He smiles and murmurs,  **[You hated it when I overworked. You and Asgore. But you would scold me so, saying I should not bring my sons to an area where it is dangerous for them. Saying I should take some time off of work to spend them with… with Sans and Papyrus. You were the one that recommended I read Papyrus his bedtime stories when he became restless.]** He sees her trying so hard to remember, her face scrunching up in deep thought.

Then he sees the recognition in her eyes. They widen and she gasps, her grip on his hand tightening. Her soul shifts and brightens. “Oh my stars… Gaster… it---it’s you!  _ Gaster! _ ” She throws her arms around him and pulls him into a tight hug that he’s all too happy to return. He feels her tears soaking into his coat while a few of his own rolled down his cheekbones.

“Oh, my friend, my dear friend, I---I cannot believe it! I---I remember hearing of your fall, and then… everything is still so blurry but I knew---I thought you were dead.  _ How  _ are you here?  _ Where  _ did you go?” She pulls away to wipe her eyes and looks at him.

His gaze lowers.  **[Somewhere dark… for a long, long time…]** And then he looks towards the hall.  **[I… did not return without help.]**

Toriel follows his gaze, then looks back at him. “How…?” Gaster places his hand to his chest and pulls out his soul. She blinks, looking it over carefully, and then sees the red swirling inside. Her eyes widen. “Gaster… are you telling me the child… gave away a piece of her soul to you?”

He nods, placing his soul back into his chest.  **[My own soul was torn, shattered… She managed to find one piece, but it was not enough, so… so she asked me to take a piece of hers. I did not think it would work, but… it did. I do not know what will happen to the pieces of me that were not recovered.]**

He shakes his head.  **[But I… I will not let myself worry about that. I am just glad to be here, and that she is alright.]** He sighs and rubs his face. He smiles a tired smile at Toriel.  **[Thank you so much for your help, my lady. I do not know what would have happened to her if…]** If he lost you…

“Hush, my friend. Do not think like that,” Toriel says, placing a paw on his shoulder. “Oh, Gaster… we must catch up. There is so much to talk about. But first, I am sure you are in need of much needed rest. I have another guest room you may use for the time being.”

Gaster knew better than to argue with her, so instead he follows her to the spare bedroom. The bed is surprisingly big, but then again she must have monster guests over now and again, so he shouldn’t be too surprised. She pats his shoulder and he smiles.  **[Thank you so much, my lady. I greatly appreciate your hospitality.]**

“Always so polite,” Toriel giggled, then her smile fell. She looked at him and quietly asked, “have you seen Asgore yet? Do… do Sans and Papyrus know?” He tenses at her question and lowers his head. She says, “You should go see them tomorrow. Do not worry about her, I will look after her.”

He doesn’t look at Toriel, he just nods. Satisfied, she gives him one more hug, bids him goodnight, and is gone. He shuts the door and sits on the bed, putting his face in his hands.

He knows he won’t be able to sleep tonight. There is too much on his mind. Too much has happened in such a short time for him to process and accept it. One minute today he was trapped in the void, looking at the timelines, and the next you ask him to take some of your soul, and now he’s here. Solid. Grounded.

That doesn’t even begin to describe the worry he feels for you as you rest. Toriel said you would be okay, but a small part of him couldn’t help but fret. Your soul felt so weak and he felt so useless, being unable to help you in any way.

He looks at his hands again, flexing his fingers, clenching them into tight fists, and then opening them. He stared at the holes in his hands, he rubs his face and groans quietly. He sits upright and looks at the door. He listens to Toriel shuffling about the house, he listens to her settle in her bed for the night, and he waits. He waits for twenty minutes until he gets up and leaves the room, walking down the hall and into yours.

You look so much better than before, sleeping peacefully. He sits on the edge of the bed, reaching out and brushing his fingers along your jaw. You shift and smile. He holds your face in his hands and bends down, tenderly kissing your forehead. You inhale deeply, then exhale, your smile growing, your soul shining just a little brighter.

His own soul flutters against his chest and he smiles too. He pulls your phone from his pocket and places it on the nightstand next to the bed. He brushes some stray hair from your face.  **[Worry not, my dear. I will return soon,]** he whispered. Then he stands and teleports outside.

A much better idea than attempting to sneak out through the front door. With that hearing of hers, Toriel would most likely catch him before he could step one foot outside.

He decides to walk down the road. The neighborhood isn’t suburban or rural. More like… a healthy mix. Each house having enough land to do what they wanted and to have some privacy. Certain houses had much more land than the other, and he noticed some having stables for horses.

The neighborhood is also… well, bright for one. Christmas decorations are up everywhere. Now that he thought about it, there was a Christmas tree in the corner of the living room in Toriel’s house too. Goodness, it  _ was  _ almost Christmas, wasn’t it? He’s going to have to get used to time flowing differently now. There’s so much he’s going to have to get used to now that he’s grounded.

Gaster walks and looks at all the decorations on the houses. He listens to his shoes go  _ crunch crunch crunch  _ in the snow. He feels the cold breeze brush against his face. He smells the crispness of the cool air about him. He stops and bends down to pick up some snow and he packs it into a ball. He tosses it in the air and catches it several times, then lets it sit in his hand.

His eyes glow and he lifts the snowball into the air, letting it hover just a few inches above his hand. He lets it float around him, and then lets it go high up into the air. He dispels his magic and watches it fall into the snow. Then he continues on his stroll. He walks and walks and walks some more, looking at all the houses. He reaches the plaza and looks at the stores, the decorations. It helps keep his mind off of current events, looking at the lights, thinking about how the electricity works. 

He doesn’t know how long he’s been outside, just walking and imagining electrical currents. But by the time he stopped, the sun has begun to rise and there are people walking about in the streets, possibly getting ready for work.. Some stare, some pay no mind.

Gaster decides to find a private area to teleport back to Toriel’s. He’s sure she wouldn’t be happy finding out that he went on a little walk rather than sleep. As soon as he is done brushing himself off, there’s a soft  _ knock knock  _ at the door. A second later, Frisk opens it and steps in. 

They’re rubbing at their eyes and yawning and oh no they’re wearing striped footie pajamas that’s just too precious Gaster can’t hold back the big smile he has. It reminds him of when Sans and Papyrus were little babybones and had their own footie pajamas. It makes his soul soar.

As Frisk approaches, he kneels down.  ***Good morning, my child. Is there something you need?*** He signs once they finished rubbing their eyes and looked at him. They blink twice, then nod and point out the door. Too tired to sign, eh? Understandable.  ***Breakfast?*** Another nod. 

He grins and scoops them up into his arms. They gasp and giggle, wriggling in his hold until they sit comfortably in his arm. They’re so small Gaster doesn’t even need both his arms to hold them. Frisk happily swings their legs while Gaster carries them into the kitchen, where Toriel is currently cooking. 

He places Frisk down in one chair. They pat at the table and point to the chair directly next to them, and Gaster is all too happy to sit with them. They reach for the glass of orange juice their mother left for them and sip at it. They sigh and smile, patting their hands on the table again.

“Good morning, my friend,” Toriel says, beaming at Gaster. “Coffee or tea?”

**[Good morning, my lady. Tea sounds lovely, thank you.]** He returns her smile. He noticed Frisk pouting at him, a confused look in their no longer sleepy eyes and he chuckles.

***Forgive me, my child. If you would like, I could teach you my language.*** That seemed to cheer them up fast as they nodded, their hands patting against the table rapidly. It makes him chuckle again. 

He reaches over and pats their head, then ruffles their hair when they least expect it. They gasp and slap at his hand, a harsh pout playing their lips and they fix their hair. He couldn’t hold back his laughter even if he tried. Frisk couldn’t keep an angry glare even if they tried, he could see their pout turning into a smile.

Breakfast with Toriel and Frisk felt so… so normal. Almost like everything that happened last night never happened at all. Maybe they both know, maybe they want to try to get his mind off of you lying in the bed just in the other room. Maybe they want him to have a normal breakfast after not having one for so, so long. He’s not sure, but he appreciates their effort nonetheless.

One thing is for sure, however, he is  _ hungry. _ He’s already eaten three plates of pancakes, sausages, and eggs and has finished four cups of tea. By the time he actually stops eating, Frisk is staring at him. His face flushes a deep purple and they just giggle, signing,  ***Hungry, hungry!***

He wipes at his mouth with a napkin and smiles.  ***I am unsure of when I last ate, can you blame me, my child?***

Frisk shakes their head and pats at his hand. There’s a series of knocks at the door and they hop off their chair, hurrying over to the front door to answer. There’s a slight commotion, Gaster hears several children talking to Frisk asking if they can come out and play in the snow. They hurry back inside to get their coat and things together. And after getting them nice and bundled up, they were a giggling mess running towards the front door. 

Toriel is smiling so brightly when Frisk comes back into the kitchen to kiss her on the cheek and hug at Gaster’s leg. They signed to him they’ll be back, and then they’re gone.

Gaster smiles, holding his refilled cup of team, letting the hot liquid warm his fingers.  **[There is a lot of energy in that one.]**

“You can say that again, my friend,” Toriel chuckles, “Such a dear, too.” There’s a comfortable silence between them while she cleans the dishes. He offered to help, but she politely turned him down. So now he sits at the table, staring at his tea.

He wonders who he should actually talk to first. Sans and Papyrus run through his mind. They are his sons, the most important and precious things in his life, but… Asgore is his closest friend. And then Alphys… He misses them all so much, he can’t decide who to see first.

**[I believe… I will go visit Asgore first…]** Gaster murmurs,  **[I am unsure when I will return, but I will.]** He looks back at Toriel, who nods and smiles. She walks over and places a paw on his shoulder.

“Do me a favor, dear? Give him his breakfast. He stayed late again.” She presents a bag to him and he takes it gingerly.

**[Anything for you, my lady.]**

Toriel snorts and shakes her head. “I am hardly a lady anymore, Gaster. But… do not worry so much about Asgore. He is your closest friend. I am sure it will all work out just fine.” Gaster nods. “And everyone else… I know they will be overjoyed to see you again.” She smiles so gently at him and pulls him into a warm hug. He returns it, clutching at her shirt and letting out a shaky breath.

**[Thank you, my lady.]** They part and he smiles.  **[I will return later.]** And he vanishes. 

Then he’s standing in front of the door leading into the throne room. He grips at the bag in his hand, pulling and tugging at the cuff of his coat. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.  **[Everything will be fine… he is your friend---your** **_best friend_ ** **,]** he whispers to himself, then pushes the door open.

Of course Asgore is still there, sitting at his desk pressed against the window, reading over some papers. He’s sipping coffee and has a disgruntled expression etched into his features. As soon as he sees Gaster, he stands, nearly spilling the coffee. His frown turns into a tired smile. 

“O---Oh! Forgive me, I didn’t see you come in!” He walks over to Gaster, smoothing out his shirt. “Howdy there, friend. Is there something you need?” Gaster looks over Asgore’s face. He looks exhausted, how much work has he been doing? Well, at least now he can’t scold Gaster anymore for overworking, but that’s beside the point. Gaster holds the bag out to him and Asgore blinks, taking it.

**[Miss Toriel asked me to bring this to you,]** he says quietly, fidgeting around now that his hands are free.

When Asgore says nothing, Gaster almost brings up his hands to sign what he said, but Asgore smiles and says, “Ah, thank you. I’ll have to apologize to her later for not coming home.” He walks away to place the bag on his desk, and then returns to Gaster again. 

Just like Toriel, there’s a certain look in his eyes, like he’s trying to remember something. “I’m sorry, have we… met before? You look… so familiar…” 

Gaster’s lips twitch up into a somber smile. He walks over to the window, Asgore following close behind. Gaster looks out the window, looking up at the giant hole in the mountain, at the sky. He looked down at the city below, at all the little souls wandering about.

He turned to Asgore, still smiling, and said in a quiet voice,  **[You always hated it when I would work too much and hardly leave the lab. You would invite me and my sons over for tea, and let them play in the flowers while we talked,]** he chuckles,  **[and talked and talked… until Sans and Papyrus asked us to stop because they were hungry and wanted dinner…]**

Asgore just stares at him for a full minute, his face scrunched up in question, in thought. He looks over Gaster’s face, and then his eyes widen. His paws grasp at Gaster’s shoulders and he can see the recognition shining in Asgore’s eyes, the tears welling. He breathes, “Gaster…?” his grip on Gaster’s shoulders tighten.

Gaster smiles and nods. Asgore is smiling too, the tears flowing freely from his eyes. He pulls his friend into a tight hug, a shaky sob leaving him. “My friend… my dear old friend… It… it’s you! I---I can hardly believe it. You were  _ gone,  _ you---” another sob leaves him “---It… it’s so good to see you again…”

Gaster wraps his arms around Asgore and closes his eyes, purple tears freely falling out of his sockets.  **[It is so good to see you again too, my dear friend. It is so good to be back.]**

And he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *trows confetti!*
> 
> I want you guys to know the story will be on a short hiatus, probably just for a week at the very least, so I can re-write the next few chapters because HAHAHA I forgot about some extremely important details and now I need to scrap a good portion of those chapters. I'm a professional writer and I know what I'm doing I swear.  
> The next chapter might be posted either Saturday or next Tuesday, I'm not sure yet. But hey! After tomorrow I'll be free from school for three weeks! :D  
>  ~~And I'm planning two more Gaster/Reader fics because WHAT IS SELF CONTROL HAHAHAHA shh don't tell anyone~~
> 
> Sorry for the inconvenience, everyone. Your patience and love is appreciated and hey! At least I didn't end it on a bad cliffhanger. :'3c  
> And as I said before, if you ever wanna chat, you can always talk to me on my tumblr!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> REMEMBER WHEN I SAID I WAS GONNA TAKE A BREAK AND THERE WOULDN'T BE UPDATES FOR A BIT YEAH I LIED I HAVE NO SELF CONTROL I WANTED TO POST THIS REALLY BADLY OKAY? OKAY.
> 
> Here we get to see a bit of Sans and Papyrus's point of view, then things happen. :3c

Sans looks at his phone for what has to be the seventh time today. Still no response from you.

That’s not unnerving at all, nope.

So maybe he was a little worried about you. Maybe more than a little worried. Okay, he can’t sugar coat that he’s feeling _really freaking paranoid_ about your safety right now.

It---It’s not like he found you with an almost completely grayed out soul at Muffet’s with bruises on your neck and close to crying. It’s not like he found out you’ve been talking to his dad through your phone for the past---what, almost a year now? It’s not like he sensed how beyond determined you felt to help his dad, and that determination scared him. It’s not like he’s been locking onto your soul on and off for the last four days to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid and now he suddenly can’t.

Papyrus has been acting funny, too. Sometimes he wouldn’t be as loud or as energetic as he usually was whenever he and Sans were in the same room. He sensed something in his little brother’s soul, but he couldn’t tell what. He knew you talked to him about… _something_. Something that left Papyrus uncomfortable, troubled for you. You were left feeling the same. He could sense it, he could see it, but he didn’t want to push it. Not when you were still in such a delicate state.

But hey, Alphys had messaged him asking about you like two or something days later and proceeded to explain to him that you were asking weird questions about souls. Not like that really helped with the anxiety he’s feeling right now.

So yeah, he’s worried, maybe a little upset, but much more worried. Papyrus is too. He’s asked several times on different occasions if Sans had seen you or contacted you. And he has tried to text you several different times a little bit after he couldn’t sense your soul anymore. Other times he tried calling you. After a few rings it would go to voicemail, then after an hour it immediately went to voicemail.

He didn’t dare tell Begonia or Adrian, not yet at least. Those two were your closest friends, they would absolutely flip. They’ll find out eventually when you don’t call or text or respond to them, but he hopes he can find you before that happens. He hopes he can find you in one peace. By the stars, he hopes you’re alright.

He’d be lying terribly if he said he wasn’t scared for your safety right now.

He heard Papyrus clambering about in the kitchen and looked at his phone _again_. He stared at your name in his contacts and starts tapping at the keys. One more try. Just one more. Then he’ll wait ten minutes, and if you don’t answer by then, he’ll start looking.

_Sans:_

_hey._

_if there’s a reason you’re not talkin to me just tell me._

_if i made you upset, if i did somethin you didn’t like, just let me know. i won’t do it again, promise._

_the silence is killin me here._

_this isn’t funny anymore, kiddo._

_if you don’t answer i might have to tell begs._

_…_

_kidding, i don’t tell if you don’t want me to._

_just_

_please answer me, kid._

_if you don’t answer i’m gonna have to go on a wild goose chase._

_and you know i hate using too much of my energy._

_so save us both the trouble. text me, call me, i don’t care, just let me know you’re okay._

_i’m_

_…_

_i’m worried for ya._

_i ain’t kidding about that one._

_and i know in time begs and adri and paps and undyne and alphs and muffet and grillbz (yeah even grillbz) will worry too._

_so come on._

_please…_

_answer me._

_let me know you’re alright._

He waits. And waits. And… waits. Papyrus had come into the living room to sit next to Sans as he stared at his phone, waiting, hoping you respond.

“Sans?” Papyrus asks. Sometimes Sans really hated it when his brother’s voice when from a ten to a two. “The other day you said Alphys mentioned the human asking about souls…” He’s fidgeting with his scarf.

Sans wishes he could sink so far into the couch it just swallows him up and he falls into the void forever. But he says, “yeah?” He looks at his brother. “what about it, paps? somethin’ up?”

“She asked me about them too, and… of course, since I am very well versed in souls, I answered her questions.” Sans’s grin relaxed, looking less forced now.

“heh, yeah bro. you’re an absolute pro.” His grin widens a fraction when Papyrus sits up more proudly.

“But of course, brother!” He grins at Sans, then it falls and he looks away again. “I told her about how we skeletons could lock onto souls and you could teleport them. Then… she asked if I could…” He trails off. Sans knows what he was gonna say, what he was gonna ask.

Sans’s grin falls almost instantly. It’s his turn to avoid the gaze of his brother. He fidgets with the phone in his hands, really, _really_ wishing you would call him back so he wouldn’t have to talk about this.

“Sans…” He visibly flinches and forces himself to look at Papyrus. “Can I teleport, too?”

Sans is silent for the longest time, looking over the details of his brother’s face. He looks down at his phone, gripping it tightly in his hands. His sockets close, then open and he looks at Papyrus again. He still stares, patiently waiting for a response.

“no, you can’t,” Sans murmurs, “tried to help you, when you were younger… you could do everything else. make bones, attack with ‘em, see souls and lock onto them. heck, you could even summon the ‘blasters. but for some reason… you just couldn’t teleport.” He reaches over to take Papyrus’s hand. “tried _everything_ , paps, but it wouldn’t work. could never figure out why. still don’t know why.”

“Oh…” Was all Papyrus could manage to say. “I see…” Sans looks over his face, noticing the little orange tears welling in his sockets. He sees Papyrus’s soul dimming. Oh no. No way. He pulls Papyrus into a tight hold and buries his face into his brother’s scarf. “S---Sans??”

“paps, if you’re thinkin’ you’re broken or somethin’, you’re not,” Sans says, “you’re perfect. in every way, bro. just because one little thing doesn’t work don’t mean you’re useless.” His grip tightens. He feels Papyrus wrap his arms around him, returning the hug. He chuckles quietly, “i mean, they don’t call you the great papyrus for nothin’, right?”

Papyrus laughs quietly, “Yes, of course.” He bonks his head against Sans’s. “...Thank you, brother. You are great too. And super cool. And perfect. Even if you are super lazy.”

Sans snorts and closes his sockets, sighing. Then he feels something---he senses something. He senses your soul. It’s so weak and so quiet, but it’s there, he can feel it. Sans and Papyrus stiffen at the same time and pull apart. Sans grabs his phone and looks over his phone, staring at the last text he sent. Papyrus peeks over his shoulder and they both watch as you start to type a response.

…

…

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Sans, this is Toriel. I am sorry I was unable to contact you before, I did not know the code to unlock your friend’s phone, but had help unlocking it._

Toriel…? What in the world were you doing with Toriel? He never introduced you to. Sans and Papyrus exchange glances, then look back at his phone. He’s about to type a response, when he sees ‘you’ typing again.

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Please remain calm as I tell you this, Sans, alright?_

_Your friend, she had an accident. Her soul was badly hurt. It is still badly hurt, but I am looking after her. She is safe, and as stable as she can possibly be at the moment. If you and Papyrus would like to visit her, you may, but please be mindful, she needs her rest._

_And there is something else here for the both of you too._

Something else there for them…? Sans stares at the text over and over. You were in an accident… what kind of accident makes your soul disappear for a short term and suddenly come back so weak? He didn’t know, he’s not sure he _wants_ to know, really. But… you were okay now, at least.

“Can we…” Papyrus grips at Sans’s coat. “Can we go see her, please? Her soul, it… it shouldn’t feel as weak as it does…”

“yeah, ‘course, bro. go get ready and let me text toriel real quick.” Papyrus stands and hurries to the kitchen while Sans taps at the keys.

_Sans:_

_thanks for lettin me know tori. glad to hear the kid’s okay._

_do me a favor, though?_

_can you not tell begs or adri about this yet? or anyone else, for that matter._

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_None of her other friends have messaged her recently except you._

_I will not tell any of them immediately, however. But if they ask, you know I must. They care for her too, you know._

_Sans:_

_yeah, i just_

_i wanna look at her for myself real quick. then i can tell them all._

_XXX-XXX-XXXX:_

_Do not feel like you must bear that burden of being the messenger, Sans. I know how you like to do that._

_Sans:_

_heh, guess i’m gettin too easy to read then, huh?_

_alright, me ‘n paps are on our way._

Sans pockets his phone and stands when he sees Papyrus exiting the kitchen, holding a tupperware of spaghetti. “For… when she wakes up,” he says quietly. Sans just smiles.

“i’m sure she’ll love it, bro. c’mon, we’re takin’ a shortcut. ain’t wastin’ no time on this one.” Papyrus steps closer and takes Sans’s hand. They both fall through the void and end up in Toriel’s living room. Asgore is there, sitting on the couch and looking like he had been crying all day. He jumps at the sight of Sans and Papyrus appearing right across the coffee table.

“S---Sans! Papyrus! I… w---what a surprise…” He starts to fidget, looking behind him and into the kitchen. “Tori didn’t mention you were coming…”

“I was just about to tell you, Gorey,” Toriel sighs as she walks into the living room. “I am glad you both are eager to see your friend, but… that something else I mentioned? You should see that first.”

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?” Papyrus asks, “Is it a present for us? It’s not even Christmas yet! The presents can wait! Our friend---”

“Is resting, my dear child.” Toriel holds up her paw and Papyrus quiets. “And this ‘something else’ is very important. Trust me.” She walks into the kitchen and Sans tries to peek in, but her body is blocking out whoever she’s talking to. “Come now, dear,” he hears her say. She turns and walks out of the kitchen with someone trailing behind her.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

Hours ago, the sun shined bright, high in the sky. Rays of light peaked through the clouds and the snow glistened against the light like crystals. As soon as Asgore had finished hugging Gaster and crying, he asked the million dollar question, “How are you back? Where did you go? I could have sworn that you… that you died.”

And Gaster told him. He didn’t go into full detail about the void, about his fall, but he told Asgore of what you did. He told Asgore of your state, and he has to stop himself from crying again. The thought of you laying in bed, your soul flickering so weakly like a candle on the last of its wax… it made his own soul ache and worry for you.

When Gaster was done explaining, Asgore was already sobbing again. “May… may we return home, my friend? I---I want to see her.”

Gaster didn’t need anymore convincing. Asgore was not the only one that wants to see you. They teleported back to the house just as Toriel stepped out of your room. Asgore approached her, taking her paws in his. He placed a gentle kiss and looks at her. “Tori, forgive me for not returning home. There is still so much work to do, but---please, tell me… is she alright?”

One paw rests against her cheek and she sighs, leaning into his touch. “She is… as stable as she can be right now, Gorey. It has not even been a full day yet.” She gestured for the two men to sit at the couch and they do. She sat with them and rubbed at her temples. “I must ask Olive if she can create a medicine to help the poor girl’s soul. It… it aches, it is not used to this and must be under constant vigilance. She will live, yes, but…” She sighed. Asgore offered his arm to her and she sat closer to him, allowing him to drape his arm over her shoulders.

“I am doing my best to ensure the repercussions are not harsh on her. I am doing my best to heal the hurt in her soul, but I cannot restore what has been lost. That is impossible, but… everything else? I will do my best to do,” she said, looking at Gaster and taking his hand. He nodded.

“If it makes a difference… I know my healing is not the best, but I would like to help if I can, Tori,” Asgore said in a quiet tone, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“Please. It is… tiring. I would greatly appreciate the help. She will be alright for the time being, but within an hour, could you check on her while I speak to Olive?”

“Of course, dear.” Asgore smiled, and Toriel returned it. She nuzzled his cheek, then he nuzzled her back. She stood and heaved a sigh, turning to Asgore and Gaster.

“Meanwhile, I am sure the two of you have yet to catch up. It has not even been a full hour since you left, Gaster.” She smiled. “I will leave you two to speak.” Then she disappeared up the stairs.

And so Asgore and Gaster sat on the couch in the living room with their arms around each other, talking. Sometimes they’re crying too, or laughing, or both at once. They talked of the good old days. They talked of their first meeting, of how completely and utterly _awkward_ that disaster was. They talked of the times they would spend together, joking, laughing.

It felt so… normal, recalling the memories and laughing with Asgore. It was almost enough to make him forget you were just in the other room. Almost. But he appreciated Asgore trying. He appreciated Toriel and even dear little Frisk trying so hard to make it feel like he was never trapped in the void for… stars above the last two hundred years he learned, give or take.

Soon, Asgore was the one talking in great detail of what happened over the last few years since the barrier was finally taken down, thanks to Frisk. And Gaster, ever the friend, listens intently to every word, smiling the entire time. He listens to Asgore talk of how welcoming the town near Mt. Ebott was, how kind a good handful of the humans were. Sure, some weren’t the nicest, but they were the minority, and it’s not like the monsters haven’t been through it before.

As sad as it was to admit it, to remember it, Gaster was just happy the majority of humans are kind and accepting this time around.

Before either knew it, the sun had begun to set. Frisk ran in, red in the face and in a fit of uncontrollable giggles. They jumped into Asgore’s arms and gave him a big, loving hug. Asgore laughed, patting Frisk’s head. “Hello, my child. Did you have fun?” They nodded and nuzzled his cheek, and then the jumped into Gaster’s lap and hugged him too. He coughed out a surprised laugh, returning the hug.

They pull away and Gaster signed, ***I am glad you had fun. Go change, and I shall prepare dinner.***

 ***Is it gonna be spaghetti?*** Frisk signed back, grinning widely at him. He tilted his head, a bonebrow raising and he chuckled.

***Are you saying that because Papyrus is my son?***

***Maybe.***

***If you would like spaghetti for dinner, I would be happy to make it, dear child.***

Again, Frisk nodded happily and hugged him. They nuzzle at his cheekbone and hop off the couch, rushing upstairs to go change. Gaster stood and said, **[I shall make dinner then. But first, would you like some tea, my friend?]**

“Of course. Thank you, Gaster.” Asgore stood too. “I shall check on… our guest while you do that.” Gaster nods. Of course, Asgore was supposed to check on you long ago, but he’s sure Toriel didn’t want to interrupt the two of them. It had been a long, long time, after all.

Asgore disappeared down the hall and Gaster had to stop himself from following his friend and walked into the kitchen. He stroked at his chin, summoning multiple hands to open cabinets and drawers to get his bearings. He found a box of the golden flower tea and filled the pot with water, sitting that aside on the stove. Then he started getting everything together to start making the spaghetti.

He heard Asgore sit on the couch and sigh. Then… he felt something. He sensed two more souls entering the house. Two… familiar… souls…

 

…

 

…

 

“S---Sans! Papyrus! I… w---what a surprise…” He hears Asgore say, “Tori didn’t mention you were coming…”

Gaster’s hands start shaking. He turns off the stove and grabs at the counter. They’re here… they’re _here_. He should go see them, go talk to them, but---but… it’s been so long, too long. All the fears that had subsided were back and he started fidgeting again. What if they blamed him for you being in such a bad state? What if they never wanted to see him again?

“I was just about to tell you, Gorey,” Toriel sighs as she walks into the living room. “I am glad you both are eager to see your friend, but… that something else I mentioned? You should see that first.”

Something else? Was she talking about him? Oh no, oh no no no, he’s not sure if he can do this right now.

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?” Papyrus asks, “Is it a present for us? It’s not even Christmas yet! The presents can wait! Our friend---”

“Is resting, my dear child. And this ‘something else’ is very important. Trust me.” He heards Toriel come into the kitchen. Her body is blocking his view of the living room, and he’s sure she’s using her body to make sure they can’t see him. He looks at her and shakes his head.

***I cannot. I… I am not ready. What if they do not want to see me? It has been too long, I---***

She places her paws on his hands and looks at him. She leans closer to whisper, “Gaster, they are your sons. I am absolutely positive they will be overjoyed to see you again, to remember you.” She leans back and tugs at his hands. “Come now, dear.” She turns and starts walking out of the kitchen.

Gaster follows her, his legs feeling so much heavier than before. Toriel moves out of the way and he looks at Sans and Papyrus, at his sons. Goodnes… they’ve both grown so much, especially Papyrus.

He may have the same bone and skull structure as his father, the same tall, proud posture, but… his eyes, his smile… the kindness and concern behind it… it’s just like hers.

And Sans… he has his father’s sockets. He has the same tired but observant and calculating look, but everything else screams his mother.

They both stand there, staring, staring at Gaster. Sans’s sockets are wide and his hands are shaking, while Papyrus looks so confused.

“Hello there, sir…” he says, his voice so soft, “have… we met before? Your face is… so familiar, I’m sure I’ve seen it before.” He steps closer. “What’s your name? I’m sure if you told me I’d remember.”

Gaster steps closer too and reaches out, his hands trembling so bad. He places a hand on Papyrus’s shoulder and looks over his face. **[Papyrus…]** he whispers.

Papyrus tilts his head. “Sir… how do you know my name?”

 **[I… Papyrus, my boy… We---we know… we knew each other very,** **_very_ ** **well,]** he says. He smiles, purple tears welling in his sockets. **[You… your favorite book when you were little was… was Rainbow Fish.]**

Papyrus stares at him, his own sockets wide. There was a certain look in them, that guarded, observant look that not many would notice unless they paid _close_ attention. He asks, “How… do you know that…?”

Gaster’s smile strengthens. **[You never let me read anything else to you for almost a month, you loved it so much… you would throw a fit every time I suggested a different story.]**

Something clicks. Papyrus’s mouth hangs open. The tupperware of spaghetti falls from his grasp and clatters to the floor, thankfully not exploding open. He gasps and a hesitant, shaky hand reaches out and grabs at his sleeve. Orange tears form in his own sockets. He stares and stares and utters in a voice so quiet, so soft and unsure and scared yet hopeful, “Dad…?”

Gaster nods. **[Yes, my son… it is me…]**

Sans finds his voice, “dad…” he breathes shakily, “dad… you… you’re…”

 **[Sans…]** Gaster steps around Papyrus and kneels down before Sans. He holds the sleeves of his son’s jacket and smiles, tears freely falling down his cheekbones. **[My son… my brave, strong son… You have done so much for your brother. Oh, my boy…]** He pulls Sans into a tight hug, whispering, **[I have seen you struggle through every timeline… I was always there, watching. You were never truly alone.]**

Sans stares, wide-eyed at the ceiling as the tears fall down his cheekbones. Slowly, so slowly, he wraps his arms around Gaster and buries his face into his father’s shoulder. He holds on tight, so tight, so afraid Gaster might disappear if he loosens his grip even by the smallest of fractions.

Papyrus steps closer to them. He’s pulled into the hug too, and he holds onto his father just as tightly. A sob leaves him. He huffs and shakes and cries and cries and cries, trying to talk, failing.

He tries again. “D---Dad,” he manages at last. He holds on tight, so tight to Gaster’s jacket, burying his face into his free shoulder. “Dad,” he says, “Dad, it’s you… it---it’s you.”

“it’s r---really, _really_ you. y---you’re here…” Sans cries, “you’re _back._ ”

 **[It is me,]** Gaster laughs between his own sobs, **[here I am, my sons. I am back, I am back…]**

“You’re back, Dad, you…” Papyrus sniffles, his entire body shaking so badly his bones are rattling. Again, he breaks into heavy sobs, his tears soaking into Gaster’s coat. “You’ve been gone for so long! I… I had forgotten you… How could I have forgotten my own father?”

Gaster holds them closer, closer still, smiling and gently shushing Papyrus, **[Shhh, my son. It is okay now. I am here. I have you… and I am so, so sorry I was not here for such a large portion of your lives, but… but I---I wish to be apart of them now.]**

He pulls away to look at the both of them. They wipe the tears away and look at him and the tears start falling again. “There are so many different types of pasta I learned to cook,” Papyrus says softly, “and… and pictures to show you! And stories to tell!”

“i can make a pretty good quiche,” Sans laughs, “so much as happened…”

Gaster’s smile could not get any bigger. He brings them close again, closing his sockets. **[I swear to make up for all that lost time…]** He holds them tighter. **[My dear, dear boys… my precious sons… I will never leave you again…]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shoots confetti gun* WOOOOO
> 
> But for real. This time updates are gonna be paused probably until Saturday or so, giving me plenty of time to have everything ready again. I might change updates to be once a week or twice a week rather than three times a week because hoooooly shit it's a lot more draining than I thought it was going to be.
> 
> And after classes start they're probably to most definitely going to be once a week since I'll be super busy with that. So that's a thing.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and giving this story kudos you're all just too awesome and sweet. ;v;


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This chapter ended up longer than I thought so I had to cut it in half.

Toriel and Asgore had left briefly to give the skeleton family privacy, and to check on you again. There was a soft patter-patter from the stairs and Frisk is there in their pajamas, staring at the three of them on the ground. They blink and stare and tilt their head. They approach the three and grab at Sans’s coat. He starts, whipping around to look at Frisk and they see the tears and they grab at his face, their brows furrowing.

Sans laughs as they wipe at his tears, but they just keep falling and now there’s tears in Frisk’s eyes. He and Gaster wrap an arm around them. “hey kiddo, don’t worry ‘bout me. these are happy tears, y’hear?” They nod and nod and wipe at their eyes, sniffling. They look at Gaster, Papyrus, Sans, and then smile.

 ***Family,*** they sign, ***together. Together again. Happy, you’re happy?***

Gaster nods. Papyrus says, “Yes! Of course! I’m so happy to see my dad again.”

“kid, i haven’t been this happy in a _long_ time,” Sans laughs again and Frisk is hugging him now. “aw, you want in on the group hug?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, he just pulls them in and they all hug Frisk too. And Frisk smiles and laughs and nuzzles their uncles, trying so hard to hold them all with their little arms.

Finally, they all pull away and wipe away their tears. Frisk is smiling so big at the skeleton family and they’re smiling back and at each other. Gaster breathes and wipes his eyes one last time and stands. **[I should continue making dinner.]**

“Can… Can I help, Dad?” Papyrus stands too. Frisk sits on Sans’s lap. Papyrus tugs and pulls at his scarf, a nasty habit he definitely got from his father. But Gaster just smiles and nods.

 **[Of course, my son,]** he says gently, then bends down to pick up the tupperware. **[Come, we can chat while we cook.]**

“I… I would like that.” The two walk into the kitchen while Sans continues to sit on the floor, holding Frisk close.

“hey kid… if this is a dream, make sure i never wake up, ‘kay?” He whispers, giving Frisk a gentle squeeze. Frisk giggles, nuzzling his chest. They pat at him and he lets them get up and start up their game system. They grab their controller while Sans sits on the couch.

He raises a bonebrow at them when they grin and don’t move from their spot. His left eye starts glowing a faint blue, a silent question, and Frisk nods. Their soul lights up and turns blue, glowing through their pajamas. A blue aura wraps around them like a blanket and lifts them up. They giggle as Sans spins them around, purposefully getting the cord of their controller wrapped around them.

“heh,” Sans’s grin widens, “lookin’ a little **tangled up** there, kiddo.” Frisk sticks their tongue out at him in response. He chuckles and spins them again, carefully untangling them and lets them drop right into his lap. They get comfy, leaning back against his chest while he wraps his arms around them, resting his chin on their head.

Dark Cloud 2 starts up and Frisk starts playing. Sans stares at the screen, but isn’t really paying attention to what’s happening. He’s paying much closer attention to the quiet conversation in the kitchen.

“Where did you go, Dad? What happened? Everything's so blurry…” Papyrus murmurs, “I remember… being at home, doing my homework and waiting. For you, I guess, then…” He sniffles.

 **[Shhh, my son. It is alright. I…]** Gaster falls silent, then says, **[I… fell, and…]** He sighs. **[We should save this conversation for later, my son. So I may tell you and your brother. For now, let us… let us focus on dinner, yes?]**

“Alright.” Then there’s silence, aside from the game and the quiet clammer in the kitchen. Eventually, Toriel and Asgore return into the living room and sit on the couch with Sans and Frisk. They watch Frisk play, and Sans listens to the small talk Papyrus and Gaster has. Mostly just Papyrus talking about the new recipes he’s learned, stuff like that.

The night goes on. Everyone sits in the living room and eats. Frisk multi-tasks by playing and eating every time there’s a small cutscene. Papyrus asks many questions about the game that Frisk is all too happy to answer. Everyone else makes small commentary about the events transpiring.

Gaster goes into a small fit about how, **[The human body simply cannot survive being** **_inside a volcano_ ** **for such an extended period of time!]**

Sans translated what Gaster said for Frisk and every single time Frisk would sign to him, ***It’s a** **_game_ ** **Uncle Gaster! It’s not supposed to be super realistic!*** Seeing Frisk call Gaster their uncle made Sans’s soul flutter with joy.

When the clock struck nine, Frisk saved their game and shut off the console. They then proceeded to give everyone hugs and loving nuzzles, before resting in Asgore’s arms so he can carry them up to their room. Toriel follows, and soon it’s just the skeleton family again.

Sans fidgets with a bottle of ketchup he got from the kitchen, staring at his father’s chest every few seconds. Papyrus is less subtly staring, and he’s the first to ask, “Dad… your soul, it… I can see red in it. Monsters don’t---they don’t have two colors. And it feels… strange.” He looks at Gaster. “Dad, why does your soul have two colors?”

Gaster doesn’t look at either of them. He stares at his hands, tugging and fidgeting with the sleeve of his turtleneck. **[My soul was shattered… spread through the different timelines and universes… With no way to retrieve them… your---your friend, she…]** His hands start shaking so bad. He doesn’t like to remember, he doesn’t _want_ to remember. He can’t finish his sentence, but they get the gist of it.

Papyrus’s mouth hangs open, sockets wide in disbelief. “Dad… you can’t possibly mean…”

Sans grabs at his father’s sleeve. “tell me…” He grinds his teeth. “tell me she didn’t…”

All Gaster does is nod. Papyrus is in tears again and opens his mouth to say something again, but Gaster places a hand on his. **[She is… as well as she can be right now. Toriel and Asgore are doing a wonderful job keeping an eye on her.]** He still doesn’t look at them.

“that’s why she was askin’ those weird questions about souls…”

“I knew it… I knew she had to have been planning something, I could _see_ it, but…”

 **[She theorized that if a piece of a monster’s soul is gone---for example, my soul---and a human soul gave away part of theirs, it would… fill in the blank spaces.]** Gaster bends down and rubs his face. **[It worked, but… her soul was already so fragile, it… I thought it wouldn’t survive the trauma of me taking the piece. I---I almost lost her.]** He lets out a shaky breath. **[If it were not for Toriel…]**

“you gotta… you gotta be **rattlin’ my bones** here, dad…” Sans forces a grin and a laugh. He looks at Toriel and Asgore as they come back downstairs. They exchange glances and then look back at Sans. They both nod and Sans runs his hands along his skull. “she---she almost _died_ to… to bring you back…”

“She risked her life to ensure we would see you again?” Papyrus asked. Gaster nodded again. Papyrus places a hand to his mouth and lowers his head. A quiet sob escapes him as he whispers your name.

“oh man… the hell am i gonna tell begs? or adri or---or _anyone_? sayin’ they’ll freak is an understatement…”

Toriel walks over and places a paw on his shoulder. “I told you, you will not bear the full burden of delivering the news.” She looks at Gaster and Papyrus. “None of you will. They will all find out eventually, this is obvious, but do not think any of you have to bear the burden of the messenger. That goes double for you Sans and _triple_ for you, Gaster.”

The two skeletons in question visibly flinch and avoid her gaze. Asgore sighs, rubbing his face. “We should tell them soon, however. Who knows how long she will be sleeping.” Toriel nods in agreement.

“Tomorrow we will not tell, but if anyone texts her and asks, I will explain to them the same thing I explained to you, Sans.” She pats his shoulder and he nods. “The day after, we shall inform her friends and family.”

“you sure you wanna tell her grandparents about… _this_?” Sans asks. “i mean, paps ‘n i met them. they’re pretty understanding and really nice, but… this might be something that we shouldn’t tell them. not the whole soul thing, anyway. maybe just say she got sick or something, because that’s what it technically is, right?”

“Sans, you know I do not like lying to people.” Toriel frowns and stares down at him. Then she heaves a sigh. “But… you have a point… I will mention that she is here, sick but safe and well taken care of, okay?”

“sounds like a plan.”

The next few days are filled with so much worry.

On the first day, Toriel and Asgore keep a vigil on you while you rest. Papyrus and Sans go back home to grab the presents they had for everyone and shove them under the big tree at Toriel’s, and then decide to stay at her home. There’s _more_ than enough room for the two brothers to stay for the next little while.

Papyrus plays outside with Frisk and their friends, Sans lays in a pile of snow and sleeps, and Gaster is inside. He sits by your bed and talks to you, holding your hand and carefully combing your hair. He tells you that Sans and Papyrus are here for you, and the eagerly wait for you to wake. He tells you that Frisk and Asgore and Toriel are so excited to meet you.

And you respond. Sort of. You don’t talk much in your sleep anymore, you’re mostly still, but your soul… it brightens and shines and flutters and sometimes dims, but it’s bright again as Gaster talks to you.

When Toriel comes into the room to check on you, she waves Gaster out of the room. Now he sits in the living room, looking out the window and watching Frisk run around with Papyrus and several other children, some monsters, some human. Frisk catches him staring through the window and waves happily. Gaster smiles, waving back.

They rush up to the window and start signing, ***Come out and play!!*** they rub their flat hand against their chest in a circular motion over and over, ***please, please, please?*** As if it’ll help them, they even make their eyes bigger and poke out their lower lip. Gaster snorted, but he nods and stands, walking to the back door.

Right as he opens it and steps outside, he hears several little feet, plus a big pair, crunching in the snow and there’s Frisk and Papyrus with Frisk’s little friends. He kneels down and catches Frisk as they jump into his arms and wrap their own little arms around him. He sets them back down in the snow so they can turn to their friends and sign, ***This is Uncle Gaster! He’s a friend of Mom and Dad. And he’s Uncle Sans and Uncle Papyrus’s dad!***

“Hi Mister Gaster!” The children say in unison. He waves in greeting.

One little girl with big, green eyes, a face full of freckles, and auburn hair tied into pigtails, speaks up with a scrunched up nose, “If you’re Sans and Papyrus’s dad, why doesn’t Sans look more like you?”

Gaster smiles and signs, ***You know how children inherit the traits of both their parents, yes?*** The children nod, and he continues, ***Papyrus inherited my height and bone and skull structure, while Sans got more of my facial structure.*** He pauses, contemplating. Then he slowly signs, ***His body, and Papyrus’s facial structure, come from their mother.***

“Ooooh, that makes sense,” the little freckled girl said.

 ***You could say he got the** **_short_ ** **end of the stick,*** Gaster signs and winks. The kids all groan and giggle and Papyrus looks at Gaster with such disappointment, but he’s smiling too.

Frisk claps their hands and starts signing, ***Let’s build a snow army for Undyne to destroy when she come visits!*** Everyone cheers and claps, then start crowding around Gaster in an attempt to drag him along. He lets them tug and pull at his coat and pants all the way into the middle of the backyard.

When Frisk nods at them, everyone scatters, some pairing up, to start building snowmen. Papyrus is with Frisk, helping them make the biggest bottom to the snowman they’re crafting together.

Gaster stands there, watching the children for all of five seconds until a little girl approached him and tugged at his sleeve. He knelt down, smiling softly at her and tilting his head in question. She looked around, playing with her brown hair, then looks at him with big, amber eyes.

“D---Do you wuh---wanna…. w---wanna h---help me m---muh---muh---muh---” her face scrunches up. Her mouth works, her cheeks turning a dark shade of red “--- _muh---make_ … make a s---snowman with m---me?” She asks, her voice growing softer. She doesn’t look at him, her fidgeting much worse now. Gaster gently taps her shoulder with his finger to get her to look at him. He nods, the lights in his sockets shining. Her frown brightens into a smile and she takes his hand, guiding him to an area with a nice pile of snow.

The little girl’s name was Zahra, Gaster soon learned. A shy one with a bad stutter, but she tries. And when she’s too frustrated to talk, she signs. As he helps her and the children collect snow to build so many snowmen it might as well be an army, he learns about all of Frisk’s little friends.

Like Stephanie, or Stephie, as she likes to go by. The little girl that asked him about his relations with Sans and Papyrus earlier. A spunky little thing with quick wit and a sharp tongue who’s protective of her adopted little brother, Shaun. Shaun is an adorable little lizard monster who never leaves Stephie’s side.

And then there was Matty---or MK, he learned they liked to be called. They were as enthusiastic and happy as he remembered them. It hurt to remember, to recall their twin who stays in Waterfall, who is alone, but he tries not to think of it right now.

A young fire elemental named Pepper, Grillby’s grandchild. Hunter and Alistair, twin humans, who were complete and utter angels. Snowdrake, Frisk’s first friend they made when they got to Snowdin. And then there was Angel, a fish monster with teeth almost sharper than Undyne’s, big eyes and a grin just as big, with a lure protruding from their forehead. They liked to show it off by lighting it up.

He loved playing with the children and his youngest son, and the children adored him. And after much, _much_ whining and begging, he showed off some of his magic. He lifted Zahra and Stephie, spinning them around and carefully sitting them back down. He then went the extra mile and lifted all of the children at once, safely dropping them into the soft snow. They all squealed and giggled with absolute joy.

He and Papyrus worked together to entertain the children by summoning bones and doing tricks with them---Papyrus was a very good juggler, and Gaster was able to balance several on his head. They would use their blue magic to toss and catch the children back and forth to each other, or let them fall into a big pile of snow they created. It took a bit of convincing (okay, it didn’t really take a lot), but Gaster found Sans lazing under some snow and focused.

He lifted up Sans, who jerked in shock and looked around until he saw the reason why he was suddenly floating. He saw the mischievous shine in Gaster’s eye and in his smile, and Sans just smiled back. Gaster brought him closer and lifted him up a little bit higher than he did the children, then let Sans fall into the snow with a loud _plop!_

 **[So nice of you to** **_drop_ ** **in, my son,]** Gaster says, grinning down at Sans. The children looked up at him, but before they could ask what he said, Sans spoke.

“heh, **snow** problem, dad. how **ice** of you to include me. and here i thought i was getting the **cold shoulder.** ”

“SANS, NO!” Papyrus shouted, picking up Sans and shaking him. “STOP THAT!”

 **[I would never ignore my own child! You think I would be so _cold?_** **]**

“DAD YOU ARE NOT HELPING HIM!”

 **[** **_Icy._ ** **My apologies, Papyrus. I am much too c** ** _old_ ** **to make these jokes, I should act more my age.]**

“AUGH! I’M GOING INSIDE!” Papyrus drops Sans and walks back to the house. "AND YOU ALREADY USED THAT PUN, YOU CHEATER!" Sans and Gaster and the children all laugh.

By the time they’re all done laughing, Stephie speaks up, “Hey, Mister Gaster, can you summon those skeleton dog things too?” Gaster wipes away a tear and nods, smiling.

“Cool! Can we see? Can we, can we??” Angel clings to his leg, looking up at him with their big eyes.

Sans stands up and brushes himself off. “i dunno if that’s really safe, kiddos.”

“Awww, come on!”

“Pleeeeease, Mister Gaster??”

“Please please please??”

It took much more whining and begging and Stephie fake crying for him to actually agree to summon one of his ‘Blasters. They all gathered by Sans as Gaster took several steps back. His eyes glow and he lifts a hand and snaps his fingers. The ‘Blaster appeared right beside him. It stood tall and proud, it’s skeletal tail swaying behind it. It looked at the children, at Sans, then Gaster. There’s an intelligence in its eyes he never expected from a ‘Blaster, but he places a hand on its snout. It rumbles softly, tilting it’s large head in question.

 **[They are all friends, they are all young. Be patient with them, alright?]** he says gently. The ‘Blaster nods and slowly lowers itself to the ground, staring at the children. They all stare back in awe, but don’t move closer.

At least, none of them move closer except Zahra. She doesn’t even hesitate to walk up to it and start petting its snout. It rumbled again and she scratched under its chin. The rumbling got louder, lowering itself into her hands as she pet it. It laid down, nudging her to the ground and plopping its head into her lap. She giggled, but continued to pet it as its tail wagged in the snow.

The other children slowly approached it, joining in on petting its skull. Sans comes closer too, mostly to look over its skeletal body. Gaster can see the curiosity and interest shining in his son's eyes. Some of the children touched its skeletal feet, or its spine, all of them asking questions.

“How is it so big?”  
  
“Are all of them like this?”

“Can it shoot lasers like Sans and Papyrus's?”

“Why doesn’t Sans and Papyrus’s ‘Blaster have a body?”

“What’s their name?”

Gaster laughed and started signing, ***Slow down, children, I can only answer so many questions at once. I am honestly unsure as to why they are bigger now and have a body. Perhaps it is because of the extra power I have now.*** He taps his chin. ***But believe me, my ‘Blasters looked almost exactly like Sans and Papyrus’s until recently. As for the name…*** He kneels beside Zahra and places a hand on her shoulder. ***Why don’t you name them? They seem to like you a lot.***

As if to prove Gaster’s point, the ‘Blaster nuzzled Zahra again and rumbled softly. Zahra smiled, running her hand along their skull, petting at their snout some more. “Suh---Citrus,” she says, “h---his nuh---name is… Citrus.” Citrus sounded pleased with that name, because he started rumbling louder, his tail wagging a bit faster.

 ***Citrus it is. I believe he likes it as well.*** Gaster pats her head and she smiles, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red.

All too soon, it was time for the kids to go home. Most of them walked together down the road to their homes, others got picked up by their parents. But not a single one of them left until they gave Frisk and the skeleton family big hugs and saying bye to Toriel and Asgore

“Let’s play again sometime, Mister Gaster!” Angel said, waving as they and MK ran through the snow towards their homes. Gaster nodded, waving back until they were out of sight. He sighed heavily and looked at Frisk, who looked absolutely overjoyed.

 ***That was so much fun!*** They sighed, lifting their arms up towards Gaster. He bent down, picking them up and letting them sit on his arm as he carried them inside. ***We should do it again when Auntie Undyne and everyone else comes for the Christmas party!***

Gaster nods and places them on the ground. ***That is a wonderful idea, my child. I am sure they will have a lot of fun.***

While Toriel cooked and Frisk played more of their game, Gaster sat in your room, running his thumb over the top of your hand and telling you everything that happened today. He watched your soul shine and flicker and the colors shift as he talks to you. He smiles, running his fingers along your jaw.

**[Stay strong, my dear. And please wake soon.]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so good at ending chapters hnnnnnggggfdh
> 
> There's some characters we haven't seen in a while that will be coming back next chapter :3
> 
> And just so you know I'll probably start having updates every Tuesday and Thursday from now on instead of Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. So ye. Unless I say something about there being no updates, expect one every Tuesday and Thursday!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This chapter was honestly a little bit harder to write and I'll admit I rushed a bit through things, but I did my best *wheezes*

On the second day, Undyne kicked the door open. “WHERE IS SHE?!” She shouted, stomping into the house. Alphys hurried in behind her, grabbing at her arm. “You say she was in an accident? Who did it?! I’ll beat the _shit_ out of whoever hurt her!”

“U---Undyne, sweetie, puh---p---puh---please!” Alphys tugs at her hand and looks over to the side. She stops dead in her tracks, her eyes widening, her jaw dropping open.

“Undyne, quiet yourself!” Toriel walks out from the hall. “She is resting right now!”

“HELLO UNDYNE! HELLO ALPHYS!”

“sup.”

Gaster and Frisk wave.

Undyne stares at Gaster, blinking. She looks at Sans, Papyrus, then Frisk. “Who the hell is this punk?” Undyne jabs a finger in Gaster’s direction.

“uh…” Sans and Papyrus say at the same time. They look at each other, then back at Undyne and Alphys. “you might wanna sit down for this one, bud.” Undyne sits on the loveseat, but Alphys doesn’t move. She and Gaster look at each other. They look at each other for a long, long time. Gaster stands and rounds the coffee table to approach her.

“D…D---D---Duh…” Alphys tries to speak, and both her knees and voice are wobbling too badly to let her. Gaster reaches out to steady her. “D---D---Duh… Duh…!”

 **[Doctor Alphys,]** Gaster says. He smiles as Alphys grabs at his sleeves.

She sniffles and hiccups and sobs, “D---Duh---Doctor…” He kneels down and she rushes into his arms, holding him close, desperately holding his turtleneck. “G---Guh---Guh---Gaster…” She says, her voice shaking, words falling apart between sobs. “Gaster…!”

 **[Alphys, my friend, my dearest friend, my brightest** **protégé…]** He holds her closer, rubbing circles into her back, gently shushing her cries.

“Y---You… Y---Y---You’re here… I---I thought… I…”

 **[Shhhh, my friend. Everything is alright now.]** Gaster pulls away to wipe her tears. She holds his hands in hers and smiles so brightly.

“S---S---So muh---much has… h---has h---happened…”

He smiles too. **[Yes, so much has happened, too much. We must spend time, talk, catch up, my friend.]**

“Yes… y---yes, I---I w---wuh--would luh---love to…” Alphys wipes her eyes again and wraps her arms around him one last time. She squeezes him and pulls away again, then sits on the couch with Undyne. She cleans her glasses while Undyne wraps an arm around her.

“You know him, babe?” She eyes Gaster with a sliver of suspicion on her one eye. But soon she grins. “Man, if you were her mentor, no wonder she’s such a _dork._ ” She lovingly nuzzles Alphys as she says ‘dork’. Toriel is in the room again and hands Undyne and Alphys tea, then takes her place on the other couch.

“so, uh…” Sans starts, rubbing at the back of his skull and looking between Alphys and Undyne. “alphs, you already know him, obviously, but… undyne, this is w.d. gaster.” He nudges Papyrus with his elbow. “our dad.”

Undyne chokes on her tea and goes into a coughing fit for a solid ten seconds. Alphys rubs and pats her back and Undyne looks up at Sas. “Your _dad?!_ ” She glances to Gaster, Sans, Papyrus, then back at Gaster again. “I mean… I can see it but… holy shi---crap…” She scratches at her gills, trying to ignore the glare Toriel was giving her. “So… how come I’ve never seen him before?”

“that’s where the text you got earlier comes in…” Sans doesn’t like talking about this kind of thing. Even though he always took the burden of being the messenger, he still hated it. Thankfully, Toriel and Asgore are there to ensure he doesn’t go too deep into blaming himself.

Undyne and Alphys are speechless. There’s tears in Alphys’s eyes again and Undyne nearly drops her teacup. She regains her composure and is sure to set the teacup aside before rubbing at her face. “Are you _serious?_ The punk nearly killed herself to…” She lets out a shaky sigh. “Jeez…”

Undyne looks at Toriel. “Hey, Toriel… can we see her?” Alphys looks at Toriel too, hopeful. “Please?”

She frowns, glancing between Undyne and Alphys. “Of course, dears. But please, be mindful that she is sleeping.”

“Yeah, ‘course. There’s a time and place for makin’ chaos. This isn’t one of those times.” Undyne and Alphys stand. They follow Toriel into the room where you sleep. She leaves them alone so they can talk to you. Alphys sits by one side of the bed, and Undyne the other. They both take your hands in theirs.

Alphys is the first to talk, “W---What you did… wuh---was so s---stuh---- _stupid_.” She lowers her head, her grip on your hand tightening. “But… B---But I’m s---so glad it worked. Th---Thank you… I… I---I never th---thuh---thought I’d s---see him again. Now I j---just hope you wuh---wake up… Christmas is s---soon.”

“Yeah, punk,” Undyne gives your hand a squeeze. “Can’t have you sleepin’ through Christmas. That’s being lazier than Sans.” She and Alphys snicker, then her smile falls. “None of us are leavin’ till you wake up, punk. That’s a promise. Just make sure it’s soon, yeah?”

Later the same day, Gaster is outside enjoying the cold. Everyone else is inside, most likely watching Frisk play their game or finding another game to play with them. He smiles. As concerned as he is, he’s glad to feel your soul progressing. It no longer pulses with pain, with ache. It’s slowly coming to terms that a piece of it is gone.

And everyone talks to you when they get the chance.

Sans tells you jokes and, when he thinks no one is listening, thanks you over and over and over to the point he’s crying. Papyrus speaks of the spaghetti ready for you when you wake, of the games they can play in the snow. Sometimes Papyrus thanks you to the point of tears too.

Alphys tells you of the new animes she’s found that she knows you’ll love. She tells you of her classes, her assignments, her projects. She tells you that a class for magical engineering will be available next fall semester and she plans on taking it. She thanks you too. She stammers out so many thank you’s for bringing back her mentor, her partner, her friend.

Undyne tells you about the people at her gym. She tells you that she’s going to have you on her team during the snowball war and that her team will absolutely dominate the other. She shows a gentleness not many see from her when she holds your hand, when she tells you that everyone’s waiting, that she’s waiting.

Asgore and Toriel talk to you whenever they work on your soul. Toriel tells you of the food she’s going to prepare for the Christmas party, of the students she’s taught at her school. Asgore tells you of the work he’s done, of how he’d love to talk to you again over another cup of tea. They both translate what Frisk signs to you. They’re so excited to meet you, to play with you.

Gaster’s smile grows, feeling his chest warm. He talks to you too. He still has so many stories and experiments he’s never told you about, but he wants to save that for when you actually wake. So instead, he tells you of his experiences being solid again, how good it feels to hear the wind blow, to feel it against his bones. He tells you of how he loves the sounds of the snow crunching beneath his shoes, how he loves the smell of fresh food whenever Toriel is done cooking dinner.

He wants to tell you so much more, but he makes himself wait for you to wake. He’ll have to usher up every ounce of patience, but he’s sure---

“ _YOU!_ ” A large, hard hand grabs him and he’s slammed into a tree. In truth, it didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would have. But his bones did ache when he stood back up and looked at his attacker. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!”

Begonia stood several feet away from him. Her soul burned bright and flared with complete and utter rage. Large, sharp thorns run along her arms and up her shoulders, cypress flowers and black roses grow from her head. She approaches Gaster, the dark petals falling to her feet.

He notices everyone clamoring outside and yelling for her to stop.

“MISS BEGONIA, PLEASE DON’T HURT MY DAD!” Papyrus cried.

“Begs, you crazy twig, stop!” Undyne shouted, “Let him explain!”

“You sleazy, lying _bastard!_ I trusted you--- _she_ trusted you!” Gaster doesn’t move, he doesn’t try to defend himself. He just stares at Begonia. His silence only seems to anger her further and she lifts to deliver another attack. Just before she can bring it down, Adrian tackles her.

They don’t stay on her long as they jump to their feet and stand between her and Gaster. Their feet are parted, they’re bent down, ears flat. Muffet is there too, rushing by Begonia to stand at Adrian’s side.

Begonia’s on her feet again and she snarls at them, “ _Move!_ ”

“Beggy---girl, come on, you’ve been doin’ so well this winter,” Adrian says, lifting their hands to her to show they won’t fight. “I know you’re mad, I know you’re upset, but you can’t lash out at him when he didn’t do nothin’.”

“Begonia, dearie, come now,” Muffet says gently. She steps closer. “There’s no need for violence.”

“‘Didn’t do nothin’’ _my ass,_ ” Begonia growls, “I know for a fact you can feel it---you can _hear_ it---the piece of her he has---he stole!”

Adrian steps closer to her, keeping their hands up. “Beggy, let him explain. I know there’s a reason for it.” They step closer and closer and then she doesn’t move to attack, they grab her hands. “You don’t think I’m upset? Our girl’s in there with part of her soul gone. Who knows how much that had to hurt, right?”

Muffet closes in too. She places a pair of hands on Begonia’s face, another on top of her hands, and the final brushes stray petals off her shoulders. “My love, my dearest, your feelings are understandable, they are. But you have no right to blindly attack and never ask for a reason.”

There’s angry tears streaming down her face. Slowly, ever so slowly, the thorns on her arms start to get smaller and dull. “Hey, listen to me Beggy, you’re listenin’ right?” Adrian reaches up to cup her cheek. “I know how much you care for her. You know how much I care for her. She’s our best friend, Beggy. But you ‘n I both know how winter can get to you, and how over-protective you can get.” They step closer and bump her forehead with theirs. “Put ‘em together and whaddya got?” They ask in a sing-song voice that makes Begonia snort through a sob.

Adrian backs off so Muffet can come closer and hold Begonia’s face and wrap her arms around her love and pet her hair. Muffet leans in and peppers her face with gentle kisses, wiping away her tears. “Begonia, my dearest love, my sweet. Remember where you are, who you’re here for.”

Adrian rubs her shoulder. “Remember who Gaster is. He would _never_ hurt her.” The thorns are gone, the flowers on her head wither and die. More flowers grow in their place. Little rue flowers. She leans forward and rests her head against Muffet’s shoulder.

“I know you’re worried, I know you’re upset, but hear him out, alright?” Muffet whispers. Begonia nods once, gripping at her coat and letting out a shaky breath.

Gaster doesn’t move from his spot until Begonia looks at him again and nods. He slowly approaches, making sure his hands are in plain sight. He stops before her and bows his head. She returns the gesture, then looks away. Adrian glances up at Gaster and gives him a crooked grin. Muffet smiles up at him too.

“Sorry… for uhm… smashing you into the tree…” Begonia mumbled. Gaster reached over and gently tapped her shoulder so she’d look at him.

He shakes his head and smiles. **[It is alright, my dear.]**  He gestures to the house. She nods and follows him and Adrian back inside, her head hung low.

“Jeez,” Undyne breathes, “I thought you were gonna kill him.”

“I know none of you would let me,” Begonia murmurs. Petals and rue flowers fall from her head, more growing in its wake. She sits in the loveseat, far away from Gaster and refusing to look up. Muffet sits by her to wrap several arms around her shoulders and hold her close. Adrian seats themselves on the armrest on the other side of Begonia and places a hand on hers.

No one says anything. Sometimes Toriel or Asgore will stare at Begonia and glance at one of the others questioningly.

“hey, begs,” Sans says. She doesn’t look at him and he sighs, standing and walking over to her. “begs.” She peeks through some flowers hanging over her face to look at him. “don’t go beatin’ yourself up now. we wouldn’t let you hurt my dad, and i know in the end you wouldn’t hurt him too bad anyway.” He kneels down to get a better look at her face. “and it’s like adri said. you’re worried for her. we all are and we all reacted differently. you and adri knew her the longest, so it’s understandable you reacted the way you did.”

Begonia looks over his face, then stares down at her hands and nods. He reaches over and lightly taps at the under part of her chin. “keep that chin up.” She lifts her head some and he grins. “there she is.” She returns his smile with her own tired one and looks away again.

The rest of the day is spent just trying to ease the tension. The television is turned on, but it’s background noise more than anything. After much light and playful arguing, Gaster is making dinner with Papyrus again. Sans occasionally glanced over to Begonia to make sure she was _really_ okay. She wasn’t but she was getting better.

Especially thanks to Frisk. Bless their big heart, they get Begonia smiling and chuckling again within minutes. She shows off a bit of her magic to them, growing flowers and sticking some in their hair.

She lets them sit in her lap as they eagerly sign to her what they do in school and what they might be when they get older. She even sang for them when they asked if she could, and everyone didn’t move or say a word so they could hear her sing.

The third day is spent explaining events and visiting you again. Adrian talks to you about some of the funny comments they got on their videos. They hold your hand and stroke your hair and nuzzle you over and over, whispering that they hope you wake soon.

Begonia sits by your side too, holding your hand, watching you sleep. She doesn’t talk much. Instead she sings to you. At first it’s quiet, gentle, unsure almost. But when she finishes one song and goes to the next, her voice gets louder, but is still gentle.

On the fourth day, Adrian spends all of it bonding with Frisk through video games. Muffet and Begonia sit close side by side, watching Adrian and Frisk go up against each other in many versus matches. Alphys and Gaster talk and talk about their past experiments together. Undyne and Papyrus excitedly speak of the snowball war that’s going to happen soon. Sans lazes about on the couch, watching everyone. At one point Frisk convinced him to play with them. And, of course, Toriel and Asgore check on you hourly. You’ve improved greatly under their supervision and care. You no longer shiver, your breathing is normal as is your heartbeat, and your soul no longer aches or pulses with pain. They guestimate that you’ll wake within the next day or two.

As the day comes to an end, Begonia visits you one last time. She sits by your bed, placing flowers in your hair and talking gently to you, “When you wake up, you’re gonna get such an earful from everyone. _Especially_ me.” She smiles. It hurts to smile, to see you laying in the bed, sleeping like you have for the last few days. But she reassures herself that you’re fine, Toriel and Asgore said so. You’ll be okay, you’ll be just fine, you’ll wake up soon and you’ll be smiling and laughing and so happy.

Gaster enters the room, watching her sit there and quietly hum to you. She stops, turning to look at him, then looks back at you. Gaster steps inside and sits by the other side of the bed.

 **[You have a beautiful voice,]** he says quietly, smiling. **[Though, I am sure you have heard that a lot.]**

“Every single time I sing.” She smiles too, but it falls. “I…”

 **[Please.]** He lifts a hand. **[There is no need for apologies. To be completely honest, I would have reacted the same way had I been in your shoes.]** He looks at you, mumbling, **[I probably would have done worse before anyone would have had a chance to stop me.]**

Neither monster says a word for the longest time. Then Gaster speaks, **[I did not want to do it. I was so afraid she would die, that her soul would not survive. But she was so sure she would live.]**

“Sounds just like her to make that kinda gamble.” Begonia brushes some hair behind your ear. “She was hurt before… I don’t want it to happen to her again.”

 **[I understand that feeling all too well, Miss Begonia.]** Gaster takes your hand in his and strokes the top of it with his thumb. **[But there is only so much we can do to ensure the ones we care for are safe.]**

“I know I shouldn’t be breathing down her neck all the time, and I don’t. I mean, I do my best not to, at least, but…” She looks at Gaster. “There’s a reason she lives with her grandparents, you know that, right?”

 **[Yes. I do not know the full story, but I felt a portion of the pain when her soul became mine.]** He frowns. **[I am sure with time, she will tell me. But that is her decision to make. If she does not wish to talk about it, I will not force her. We all have something in the past we would rather forget.]**

“You can say that again,” Begonia mumbles. She stands and rubs at her face. “I’m… gonna hit the hay.”

Gaster nods, smiling at her. **[Rest well, Miss Begonia.]**

“You too, bone boy. I know skeleton monsters don’t need as much sleep, but it’s still good for you.” She returns the smile, and steps out of the room.

Gaster stays in your room, watching you, watching your soul flicker. He’s not sure how long he sits there, looking over the details of your face, looking at the little cracks in your soul, but he remains there. He remains by your side, gently stroking the top of your hand with his thumb.

You shift around, sighing and mumbling something under your breath. Gaster leans closer to ear. You mumble, “Beggy…” He smiles and gently pets your hair.

 **[She is resting now, my dear, just like you should be. Everyone is so eager to see you awake. They will be so happy.]** At his words, he sees your soul shining brighter, and his smile brightens too. He leans down to kiss your head and sits up straight again, remaining by your side through the night.

On the fifth day, right at dawn, you wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GIRD YOUR LOINS AND GET READY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> [Have some tunes for this chapter.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auDqBeJP8A8)  
> [And some more, since both songs are rather short.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWTF30MGT-E)
> 
>  
> 
> I posted this early since I won't be here Thursday through Sunday because OTAKON 2016 YO WOOOOO I'm gonna take so many pictures man omg. And don't worry, I'll post them on my tumblr too so you guys will get to see when I get home!
> 
> Now...
> 
> Enjoy the chapter, my lovelies.

It was almost like you were in the eternal darkness when you first met Gaster, except you weren’t standing on anything. There was no invisible floor. And you were falling. Falling down, down, down into the eternal darkness.

You were so scared. You don’t know where you are, how you got here, why you’re here. All you remember is Gaster, hugging him so tightly. You feel… something. Something holding you. It was so familiar. It made you feel safe, happy. You weren’t falling anymore, it was more like you were.. floating. But the feeling is gone as soon as it came.

You were falling faster this time. No… no no no no no _no no_ **_no._ **

You were with him. You remember, you _remember_. You were with him in the gray room. You were giving him his soul---and a piece of your own.

Then… now… you’re falling.

Did it not work? Were you dying right now? No no no, you cannot die yet, not yet. You had to make sure Gaster was okay, that your sacrifice wasn’t in vain. You find your voice, “Gaster…” You say, your chest tightening, your soul aching. “Gaster! _Gaster!!_ ”

You keep falling and falling and crying for Gaster. It feels like eternity past, but you start falling slower. You feel something touch you. It’s not holding you, more like… petting your hair and touching your head. You… you _hear_ something. It’s muffled, but you recognize the tone, the wording. It---It’s Gaster.

You hear him say something, **_[I -- h--e, my d--li--...]_ ** You listen more intently. You focus on his words. **_[It w--ked. Pl--se, -y darl--g, h---d on j-st a l-ttle l--ger. It -- my t-rn to -elp you.]_ **

It worked… it worked! He’s there! He’s okay. He’ll get to see his sons and his friends again and he’ll get to life a happy life. You hold onto those words desperately. You’re not letting go, not yet.

A part of you _thought_ you were okay with dying, but… no, you can’t. You don’t want to. You want to see Gaster, to talk to him outside your dreams and hold him and lean more from him. You can’t let go just yet, you _won’t_ let go just yet. You hold onto the feeling of a hand petting your hair, of arms holding you, his voice gently whispering to you.

You hear voices, blurred. You feel a pulling sensation, and then you felt warm. From your chest to your body. It felt nice, but the pain in your chest didn’t subside. Though the warmth helped, the pain remained.

You’re not sure how long you’re in the darkness, but you’re not falling anymore at least. It’s more like you’re… floating. Sometimes you feel warm again, and your chest hurts less. Sometimes you hear voices speaking to you. Sometimes it’s Gaster, sometimes it’s someone else.

You feel like you recognize most of the voices. You hear two words over and over again.

_Thank you._

You try to make out who’s saying it, they’re all garbled together. You have an inkling, but you’re not sure.

And then you hear more voices. You know them too well, you’ve heard them for so long. Begonia… Adrian… they’re here. You hope they’re okay, that they’re not too worried. But you know they are.

You hear Begonia singing softly to you. You loved her singing. You smile, closing your eyes. “Beggy… I’m sorry for worrying you,” you murmur, “I’ll try to wake soon, I promise.” She sings and sings and you listen to her singing, feeling your entire being relaxing to her voice. Then it silences. You hear voices. Hers and… Gasters. They’re talking. Then there’s more silence.

You frown. “Beggy?” Nothing. “Beggy??” You feel a hand pet your hair.

**_[S-- is r-sti-- now, -- de-r, j-st li-e you shou-- be. Every--- is s- --ger to see y-u aw--e. The- wi-- be s- happy.]_ **

You smile and close your eyes. You’ll try to wake soon. You’ll try.

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

Your eyes flutter. You blink, your mouth hanging open. You suck in a breath and exhale. You feel… kinda heavy _._ But you try to move anyway. You manage to force yourself to sit up a little. You look over and your jaw drops, your eyes widening.

Gaster… Gaster, it’s Gaster! He’s leaning back in a chair, his sockets closed. He looks so peaceful, but you need to make sure you’re _truly_ awake and it’s not just some trick. You reach over to him. Your mouth works, you try to talk but wheeze and cough instead. Gaster stirs, but doesn’t wake. You try again, “Gaster…” Your voice sounds so hoarse, but you keep reaching for him, right on the edge of the bed, your hands trembling. “Gaster… Gaster…!”

He stirs again, shifting and exhaling through his nasal cavity. His sockets open and for a second, they’re pitch black, but the little white lights appear and go wide, then get smaller. His sights focus on you and he almost jumps out of his seat when he sees you nearly falling off your bed trying to reach for him.

He scoots closer and pushes you back. He sits on the edge of the bed, unsure whether to hold your hands or your face or pet your hair, so he summons his ghostly hands to help. One pets your hair, a pair holds your hands, and his own hold your face.

 **[My dear---my darling! You… you are awake…]** He holds your face so gently and strokes your cheeks with his thumbs and smiles so big. He leans in close and rests his forehead against yours and you close your eyes, enjoying the warmth radiating off his bones. **[We were all so worried…]**

“Gaster…” You look at him. The pair of hands holding yours disappear so you can cradle his face. “Gaster… y---you’re here… it w---worked…” You cough and lean forward again. He wraps his arms around you, pressing gentle kisses to your hair. “Are you… alright?”

 **[Yes, of course, my darling.]** He carefully picks the flowers out of your hair to comb it. **[I should be asking** **_you_ ** **how you feel, you have been sleeping for a few days now. Are you thirsty? Would you like a drink?]**

“Not… not yet…” You nuzzle your face into his turtleneck. You wrap your arms around him and feeling his bones underneath the fabric. He’s here… he’s really here… it worked! You smile a smile so big, so bright and press your face into his turtleneck. “It really worked… You’re really, really here…”

Gaster’s fingers gently run up along your spine and you sigh happily. He presses one hand flat against your back while the other plays with your hair. **[Yes, it did. It worked. I am here. I have you, my darling.]**

You stay in his hold until you hear the door quietly creak open. You look over and a tall, goat woman steps into the room. She gasps when she sees you and rushes to your side. “My child, y---you’re awake!” She shoos Gaster away so she can press a furry paw against your head and then hold your hand and look into your eyes, then she pointedly glares at Gaster. “You should have told me she woke!”

 **[Forgive me, my lady. You must understand how relieved I am to see her awake too,]** Gaster chuckles softly.

The goat woman looks at you again and asks, “How do you feel, my child?”

“I… I feel… tired, and… kinda heavy?”

“Alright, good. That is normal.” She sighs and backs off a bit. “I am Toriel, my child. It is good to meet you.” Toriel smiles a motherly smile that makes your chest feel warm and happy. She holds your hand so gently, so carefully, in her large paws. “You must be very thirsty, my child. Gaster, dear, could you get her some water and the pills Olive delivered last night?”

 **[Of course, my lady.]** And Gaster’s gone.

“All of your friends have been so worried for you, my child. But they will be so happy and relieved to see you awake,” Toriel says, “and… I know you will be hearing this many times today, but I want to thank you. You’ve brought back an old, very dear friend to many of us.”

You smile and place your free hand on hers. “I’m glad I could help… I’m glad my stupid, dangerous idea worked.”

Toriel chuckles, “It was indeed _very_ stupid and dangerous and… might have repercussions. But for now, let us celebrate you waking.” She lifts a paw to cup your cheek. “We can discuss medical things later. For now, you have some medicine to take.”

“Medicine…?”

“For the soul, dear child.” She gently taps your sternum. “Your soul is very sensitive and fragile at the moment. My husband and I have done what we can to help it along the healing process, but there is only so much one can do.” Gaster returns with the water and a bottle of pills. She takes them from him and turns to you again. “It is… better than when you first came here, but still needs time to heal, to come to terms with the fact that a part of it is gone.”

Toriel hands you the cup of water, and Gaster sits closer to you. **[Are you sure she is able to---]**

“Gaster!” Toriel huffs, “She is fine enough to hold a cup of water, there is no need to fret so much!” You bite back a laugh as you sip the water, watching Gaster’s face turn a deep shade of purple. But he smiles at you nonetheless. You gulp down half the glass before Toriel hands you one of the pills.

“Here you are, child. You will have to chew it.” You look it over. It just looks like a regular tablet with a light greenish color. You pop it into your mouth and chew it. It doesn’t… taste like anything but at the same time it does. You’ve never really been a fan of chewable pills, but you weren’t going to complain. You finish off the rest of your water.

“You will have to take those once a day for the next month or so. I asked a good friend of mine to make these for you. They are good for the soul, and will help with the healing process,” she explains. “Now, let us see if you can stand, yes?”

“Okay…”

 **[Are you sure, my lady?]** Gaster sits closer, offering his hand to you.

“She will be a little weak and tired. This is mostly from sleeping for a few days now,” Toriel says, “but I am sure everyone will be wanting to speak with her, and this room is not big enough for everyone, my friend.”

 **[Ah, yes… that makes sense.]** You sit on the edge of the bed and stare at the floor. You take Gaster’s offered hand and stand up, your knees shaking and nearly buckling beneath you, but Gaster easily catches you. You hold onto his sleeve with your other hand. You take a deep breath and start walking slowly. Toriel remains close behind you as you’re guided into the living room.

It seems Gaster and Toriel were not the only ones awake. Sans, Alphys, Asgore, and a small child are there too. They all look up and jaws drop when they see you. Before anyone could even think about jumping you, Toriel holds up a paw. “Let her sit, then you may commence the hugging.”

Just as promised, right when you collapse onto the couch, Sans and Alphys were the first ones to jump to your side and hug you. You feel their tears soaking into your shirt and your own start welling in your eyes. You grab at Sans’s coat and Alphys’s shirt, lowering your head.

“holy hell, kid…” Sans whispers, “what you did was so stupid and dangerous and---and---” he laughs between sobs “---so worth it…” His grip on you tightens. “you did what i thought was impossible… you brought my dad back… i… i’ll never be able to repay you…”

“Y---You… y---y---you buh---b---brought my m---m---mentor back…” Alphys hiccups, “I---I d---d---duh---don’t approve of w---what you d---did, but… I’m s---s---so happy y---you’re okay.”

“Alphys… Sans…” You nuzzle the both of them. “I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

“hey now, no more apologies.” Sans pulls back to wipe the tears from your face. “what you did… it wasn’t okay, and i wish you didn’t have to do it. but we’re glad you’re alright, and that…” He glances at Gaster and grins. “yeah, you get the gist of it.”

Asgore approaches. Alphys and Sans scoot aside so he can sit by you and place a heavy paw on your shoulder. He smiles so big, tears already freely running down his cheeks. He pulls you into a big, gentle hug. “My child… words can’t express how grateful I am for returning my dearest friend.” He pets your head and whispers so many ‘thank you’s’. He pulls away and holds your face, smiling so big. “While I am grateful, please, my child. Promise me you won’t do something like that again.”

You laugh and wipe your eyes. “Y---Yeah… I won’t…” You look over at the child as they climb up into your lap and pat your hands, grinning widely. They wave and you wave back.

They bring up their little hands and sign, ***Hello! I’m Frisk. You’ve been sleeping for along time.***

You laugh a little. “I certainly have. Have you been keeping me company?” They nod. “Well, thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”

They grin widely, shifting around in excitement. They wrap their arms around your neck and nuzzle you, then pull away. They were going to sign something, but you hear the door open and feet rushing towards the room. Frisk hops off your lap as Undyne, Papyrus, and Adrian hurry in.

“YOU PUNK!” Undyne shouts. She nearly tackles you, but is caught last minute by Gaster’s blue magic. “Aw, c’mon!”

 **[She** **_just_ ** **woke. Please do not go about tackling her,]** Gaster says with a frown. He releases Undyne and she huffs, brushing herself off and then sits next to you. Asgore stands and joins Toriel in the kitchen as Papyrus and Adrian approach.

She looks at you and takes your face into her finned hands. She’s so shockingly gentle you don’t think it’s Undyne for a minute. But she leans forward and headbutts you. She gives you a toothy grin and whispers, “We’ve been worried _sick,_ you dumb punk.” She laughs and pulls you into a hug. “Don’t do that again, y’hear? Or I’ll beat you up.”

“Yeah… I won’t do it again,” you chuckle. You feel like you’re going to be promising that a lot today.

Adrian sits on your other side and pulls you into their own hug. They nuzzle you and kiss your cheeks and hold you so close. “I’m not gonna repeat what everyone else is sayin’, girl. Just… I’m glad you’re all good now.” They pull away to look at your face. Their ears twitch and his smile turns more somber. “Well… as good as you can get right now.”

They glance over to Papyrus who’s fidgeting and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. They grin and beckon him over, standing aside to let him sit next to you. “Human.” He holds your face, looking it over and brushing some stray hair from your eyes. “Dearest human friend.” Orange tears roll down his cheekbones and he pulls you into a tight embrace. “If there is anything you need… _anything_ …”

“Paps…” You return the embrace, burying your face into his scarf. “It’s alright, you don’t have to---”

“Nonsense!” He interjects, “You returned our father to us.” He holds you tighter. “I… I don’t think I will ever be able to repay you, but… but I will try!”

“kid,” Sans approaches you again and takes your hand. “you can have the _moon_ for all i care. but don’t you dare act like what you did was nothing.” You squeeze his hand, and he squeezes back, grinning so widely and wiping the tears from his eyes.

Papyrus gently bonks his teeth on your head and pulls away, his hands on your shoulders now. “Don’t do it again, though! You scared me---you scared all of us! Please… promise me…”

You hold up your pinky to him. “I promise, Paps. I won’t do it again.” You don’t think your soul could handle it anyway, but you don’t say that to him. He wraps his bony pinky around yours and nods in satisfaction.

“Good! Good… thank you, human friend.” He grins. He leans forward and taps his teeth against your forehead in a chaste kiss. You smile, leaning up and kissing his head too.

“Hey, Adrian.” You look at the monster in question. “If you’re here… where’s Beggy?” You figured that if Adrian was here, Begonia would have to be here too, right? You’re positive they both knew what happened to you.

“Oh, she’s---” their ears twitch. They look towards the hall. “---here, actually.” Right after they say that, the door opens and you hear Begonia talking to Muffet.

You see Begonia and Muffet come inside, carrying the presents you had for them. They both see you, nearly dropping said presents. With a flick of the wrist, Gaster summons ghostly hands that resemble his own that take the presents from them. Once their hands are free, they both rush to your side.

“Be careful with her! She woke not too long ago!” You hear Toriel yell from the kitchen.

Once everyone had moved out of the way, Muffet sat on one side and covered your face with kisses, all her hands busy holding yours, petting your hair, holding your cheeks. Begonia hugs you from behind and nuzzles her face into your shoulder. You see her trembling, and you take her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. You lean back into her, smelling the sweet flowers and listening to her quiet sobs.

“Honeysuckle…” Begonia whispers, “by the stars… I---I… I’m so happy you’re alright…”

“As am I, dearie.” Muffet pulls a pair of her hands away from you to wipe at her eyes and laugh. “We---we all heard about what happened and---we were so worried and---ugh!” She nuzzles your face lovingly. “Don’t _ever_ do that again, dearie! That’s how you make a monster age by a hundred years!”

You laugh, wrapping your free arm around Muffet. “I’m sorry, you two… I won’t do anything like that again, don’t worry.” You smile. “And you don’t look _that_ old, Muffet.”

“Oh, you’re just saying that, dearie.” She pulls away again and takes a deep breath. “Oh goodness, we still need to help with the rest of the presents!” She steps up. “You stay right there! I have pastries and delicious cider with your name on it!” She takes Begonia’s hands in hers and kisses them both. “Come, my dearest.” Begonia smiles and nods and gives you one more loving nuzzle, then follows her outside.

“So… my grandparents are here too?” You look around at everyone. “Do they---?”

 **[They do not know, my darling,]** Gaster says as he finishes placing the presents under the tree.

“not about the whole soul thing, at least. tori told ‘em you got sick. like, really sick, but she was takin’ care of you. they couldn’t visit ‘till now because of… somethin’, dunno what, though.” Sans scratches the back of his skull. “but yeah, they know _half_ the story, kinda. the sick part at least, so it’s technically not lying.”

You smile. “Technically?”

 **[It is a sickness of the soul, so** **_technically_ ** **, yes.]** Gaster smiles just as wide and places a hand on your shoulder. You put your hand on his, and look over as you see your grandparents enter.

Their hands seem to be full with different kinds of food. Alfred shifts the pan of… something into one hand to ruffle your hair as he passes by. Bertha gently flicks your head. “We’ll talk in just a second.” Then they disappear into the kitchen. You blink, looking at Begonia and Muffet as they stuff the last of the presents under the tree.

“What…”

“You’re in trouble,” Adrian snickered, Undyne too. Sans had a big grin, and it only widened when you glared at him. Begonia and Muffet took the loveseat, Undyne and Alphys relaxing on the other. Sans and Papyrus sat on the floor with Frisk, and Gaster stood behind the couch, his hand lingering on your shoulder. Not that you minded, anyhow.

Within one minute, your grandparents return and take their places on either side of you. Bertha grabs at your cheeks and tugs them. Not too hard, but hard enough. “Ah---Nana! Stooop!!”

“Were you out in the cold too long? Were you overworking again? Young lady, how many times have we told you not to do that?” She pulls away and cross her arms while you nurse your red cheeks.

“Uhm… five?”

“Twelve, actually,” Alfred says. When you remove your hand from one cheek, he reaches over and tugs at it too.

“Ow! Papa!”

“You should know better than to do that to your body. Your health is important. Physical and mental.”

“That’s what we tell her!” Adrian and Begonia say at the same time. Undyne is trying so hard not to burst out laughing, Alphys and Frisk are quietly giggling, Sans is just smiling so wide at you and Papyrus and Muffet look sorry for you. But you see them trying to hide their smiles too. Your face couldn’t get any redder, and your grandparents weren’t letting you hide behind your hands.

“I bet you’ve even been… oh, what’s the word, Alfred? A mono diet?” Bertha sees him nod and continues, “I bet you’ve even been on one of those mono diets too! Eating cheap foods and not taking care of your body.”

“I… I mean… I’ve been eating at Grillby’s a bit more often recently…” Kinda. Sans snorts at that and holds back a laugh. He’s covering his face, his shoulders trembling.

“Grillby’s?” Alfred raises a brow. “And what kinda food do they sell?”

“it’s mostly a bar, alfred. i told you ‘bout him before, remember? grillbz is **smokin’ hot** ,” Sans finger guns towards your grandfather. Groans and snickers echo throughout the room. “but they do sell burgers and fries. real good, you should try it.”

“You’ve been eating burgers and fries for how long now?” Bertha gives you that stare that makes you cringe and look at Alfred for help, but he’s giving you the exact same look.

“A… little while now…” Sans keeps treating you. Part of you wants to say it, but at the same time you love him too much to drag him under the bus with you.

“You can’t survive on burgers and fries forever, sweetpea. Your body needs more than that, and eating greasy foods on a regular basis isn’t healthy.”

“THAT’S WHAT I KEEP SAYING!” Papyrus shouts. “IT IS A GREASE TRAP THAT IS TO BE ENJOYED ONCE IN AWHILE, BUT YOU NEED MORE GRAIN! AND VEGETABLES!”

“Sweetheart, we give you the allowance so you can buy good food while you’re at school. What have you been spending it on?” Bertha gasps and looks at Alfred. “Have we been giving her enough? Do we need to give you more, sweetie?”

“No! It---it’s fine! I just… uhm…” You fidget and stammer, trying to find an excuse, but you really can’t find one other than, “I don’t… have enough time to---to make the food?”

“I COULD HAVE COOKED FOR YOU, HUMAN FRIEND! ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS ASK!”

“I could’ve too, you punk!” Undyne shouts between her laughs. “Who do you think _taught_ Papyrus how to cook?!”

You whine and bury your red, red face into your hands. You hear Bertha and Alfred sigh and hug you. “Sweetpea, we love you, you know that?” You nod. “Then you understand we worry for you. You’re old and mature enough to take care of yourself, but there’s no shame in asking for help.”

You frown, pulling your hands from your face to wrap your arms around them both. “Sorry…”

“It’s alright, honey. Just ask if you need help, alright?” Alfred brushes some hair from your face and kisses your head. You smile and nod. “Now that that’s over, you wanna introduce us to your new friend?” He nods towards Gaster, who took a spot on the other couch. He blinks, pointing at himself. “Yeah you, son. What’s your name?”

 **[I am Doctor Wingdings Gaster, sir. But I prefer Gaster,]** he says and smiles, **[it is a pleasure to meet you both.]** When Bertha and Alfred share confused looks, his smile quickly falls and his fidgeting gets worse. Right, not everyone knew Wingdings.

“This is Doctor Wingdings Gaster,” you say, “he’s the friend I mentioned before. He prefers to go by Gaster and speaks in a different language, but can understand what you’re saying.”

“Oh, okay!” Bertha gives Gaster a warm smile. “It’s an absolute delight to meet you, dear. And a doctor, too? Delightful! I’m Bertha, and this is my husband Alfred.”

“Nice t’meet ya, Gaster. So, you related to Sans and Papyrus?” Alfred asks. Gaster blinks, showing clear surprise on his features. “Ah, don’t give me that look, son. I’ve been alive long enough to know when someone’s related. You share similarities with them. You their older brother? Their father, maybe?”

“he’s our dad, yeah,” Sans says.

“I’m surprised we haven’t met you before.” Alfred scratches at his beard. “You being their father and all, I’m sure Papyrus would’ve been overjoyed to introduce us.”

“OH, WELL, YOU SEE HUMAN PAPA…”

“uh…”

“H---He’s been really, _really_ busy with some projects, and finally got some time off. I texted you about meeting up with him the other day, remember? That's when I was going to meet him at Mt. Ebott. He uh… he still lives in the Underground right now, but is trying to find a place to move to up here.” Wow. Maybe you should take an improv class instead. How in the world did you manage to think that up on the spot? Oh well.

Bertha glances between you and Gaster. “Oh, really? Dear, if you need a place to stay for the time being, we have room at our house.” His cheeks flushed a light lavender and he quickly shook his head. You smile; he’s always so modest. And he looked adorable when he got flustered. “Don’t you shake your head at me, young man! If you have nowhere else to go, our door is open for you.”

Gaster looks at you now. **[M---My darling, I could not possibly… I---I do not wish to impose…]**

You snicker, **[Gaster, trust me, you’re not imposing. And… you don’t really** **_have_ ** **a place to stay right now, right? Unless Sans and Paps…?]** You look at Sans and Papyrus in question. It's here you notice everyone staring at you, some confused, some shocked. Oh riiiiight… they didn't know you knew Wingdings. Your face flushed, you cough and gesture for Sans or Papyrus to  _say something_.

Sans grins, the lights in his sockets shining mischievously, and he subtly nudges Papyrus. **[i don’t think we’re gonna have much room at the house, dad, sorry. ain’t that right, paps?]**

“OH…? OH!” Papyrus clears his throat---not like he really needed to. **[OH, YES! YOU STAYING WITH THE HUMAN NANA AND PAPA IS A WONDERFUL IDEA! THEIR HOUSE IS BIG ENOUGH AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!]**

Gaster crosses his arms and frowns. **[Papyrus, my son, I am a full grown adult. I** **_hardly_ ** **need to be taken care of.]**

Frisk slams their hands on the coffee table and pointedly glares at the four of you. They sign furiously, ***Not all of us can understand what you’re saying!***

Sans snorts again and covers his mouth, bending over. Papyrus pulls Frisk into his lap and pats their head. “I AM SORRY HUMAN! WE HAD TO HAVE A PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH OUR DAD!”

“A private conversation that everyone except three people can understand!” Adrian snickered. You hear Asgore and Toriel giggling from the kitchen while everyone else in the living room is having a hard time keeping their laughter in. “Girl, when did you learn that language?” Adrian asks between laughs. Oh man, everyone's looking at you again. You frown and start fidgeting.

“Uh---well---you see uhm… G---Gaster taught me, of course…” You mumble, “We would uhm… have sessions when I would erm… visit… him… at work.” Clearly only your grandparents were the ones who believed you. But every other monster and small child were just smiling at you. It made your blush even worse and out of the corner of your eye Gaster was a  _very_ dark shade of purple.

“A---ANYWAY!” You abruptly stand up and Gaster nearly jumps from his seat. Your legs tremble a tad beneath you, but you walk over to the couch where he sits and plop down next to him. You tug at his sleeve and grab his hand when he sits next to you. “Gaster… in the end, if you don’t want to stay with us you don’t have to. I won’t force you, and neither will Nana or Papa.”

Your grandparents nod in agreement. “We just want to make sure you have a place to stay, sweetie,” Bertha smiles at Gaster. “But if you truly don’t want to, it’s alright.”

Gaster’s lavender blush turned a dark purple. With his free hand he plays with the end of his sleeve. He glances towards Sans and Papyrus who both give him a thumbs up---Sans gave him a wink that he returned with a (playful) glare. He looks back at your grandparents and nods.

 **[You humble me by allowing me to stay with you, ma’am and sir,]** he says, **[I would be deeply honored to stay with you until I can find my own home to live in.]** He squeezes your hand and you smile, turning to your grandparents and translating for him.

“Then it’s settled! Once winter break is over, we’ll help you out with the moving process, son.” Alfred nods and smiles at the two of you.

Once everything was said and done, your grandparents doted on Frisk. They both loved the small child. Even though they couldn't understand sign language, Frisk made do with simple drawings or writing it down in crayon. You all eat together in the living room and talk about the party happening tomorrow.

Tomorrow… gosh, it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow. You look around at all your friends, old and new. You shift around and lean against Gaster, resting your head on his chest and smiling when he wraps his arm around you, his hand tenderly gripping yours. Everyone’s talking, everyone’s happy, even… even you. You don’t remember ever feeling this content, aside from first meeting Papyrus and everyone.

You hope it stays this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot of fun to write for many different reasons.
> 
> You wanna know who we haven't seen yet?  
> Yeah. :3c


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> *wheeeezes* It's done. This had to have been one of the harder chapters to write because it was hard to think of soul stuff and write it down with it.... making at least SOME sense.............
> 
> ALSO! If you'd like to see the pictures I took during Otakon, feel free to go [here!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/tagged/otakon%202016) I'm still queuing up the Undertale photoshoot pictures I took because Tumblr decided to be an ass, but ya know.

You woke to the smell of something sweet wafting into your room---wait, no, this wasn’t your room. Right, right, this is Toriel’s house, this is your temporary room. Oh, and it’s Christmas Eve now! There’s a _lot_ of things to be done today. Mostly along the lines of baking and decorating cookies, making dinner, or playing in the snow.

You shift and exhale, smiling at the smell of breakfast in the kitchen---you’re pretty sure your grandma is making coffee cake right now, you’d recognize that smell anywhere. But you smell something else. Something like… tea and flowers and another thing you can’t quite describe. It smelled… cold? Sharp? Like winter, or… like the window to the room was open, but you know it was a horrid idea to do such a thing this time of the year.

You force your eyes open, and the first thing you see is your room, and something black. You blink, rubbing at your eyes and sit up, looking at the black thing on you. Oh, it’s… Gaster’s coat? You touch the fabric; it’s very warm. Bringing it up to your nose, you sniff it, smelling flowers, tea, and something sharp. The coat itself is rather big, and the sleeves were very long too. Yep, definitely Gaster’s coat. But why did he leave it here?

You push the covers off you, stand up, and stretch. You hear the wonderful popping sound of your back and sigh happily. You were still pretty tired, but you knew too well that you won’t go back to sleep now that you were awake. Grabbing Gaster’s coat, you neatly fold it up and then grab your sweater.

Thank goodness Sans and Begonia went back to your house---Sans mostly went so they could take a ‘shortcut’---to grab you some warm, new clothes. Though you’re used to wearing the same clothes for days on end, you didn’t want to get another sit-down from your grandparents or Toriel or _any_ of your friends for that matter. Besides, now you had your warm pair of pajamas and socks, plus a few extra things.

Especially your absolutely _hideous_ sweater specifically for today and tomorrow. Yours was a bright green with red and white sleeves. On the front it had four sections; a red, green, and black argyle pattern, a plaid pattern, and two of the sections looked like a present. As if to add to the ugly, it had actual patches of plaid or flannel here and here from all the years of wear and tear.

Maybe you should have thrown it away by now, but you loved it too much to get rid of it. So you pull it on, take your medicine, grab Gaster’s coat, and exit the room.

The smell of coffee cake is stronger now, and you can hear light conversations. Judging from the voices, Toriel was awake as well as your grandparents. You hear shouting outside and suspect Undyne and Papyrus are preparing for the ‘snowball war’ as they call it. You walk into the living room, catching sight of Gaster writing something on some paper and handing it to Alfred.

He notices you almost immediately and waves, his mouth tugging into a smile. You wave back, approaching the couch and peeking over your grandfather’s shoulder.

_I taught her my language because she wished to learn. If you would like I could teach you as well._

_You are never too old to learn! And it could be easier than having your granddaughter or someone translate for me or me writing what I wish to say down all the time._

Alfred scratched at his beard and chuckled. “Well, it _would_ make things easier, true. Alright, I’ll talk t’the wife and get back to you on that.” He turned to you and reached over, gently pinching your chin. “Mornin’, sweetpea. Sleep well?”

“Morning, Papa. Yeah, I did.” You glance at Gaster and return his coat to him. “I appreciate the thought, but I think it’s too big for me.”

He chuckles and takes the coat from you. His cheekbones turn a soft shade of lavender. **[You were cold last night. I was awake speaking with Sans and Papyrus when I… felt your soul shivering. There were no other spare blankets as Miss Begonia had took almost all of them, so…]** He shrugs, the lavender on his face darkening. He’s finding it very hard to look at you.

“Aw, thanks, Gaster. You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it.” You smile and place your hand on his shoulder. You pay no mind to how quickly he reaches up to hold yours. You do pay mind, however, to how his bones are like a furnace. Can he control the temperature of them? You remember Papyrus and Sans being rather warm when you least expected it. Maybe it’s a… magical skeleton thing? You take a mental note to ask Gaster later.

“Ah right, Toriel said the house tends to get colder the later it gets. She and Asgore don’t really need to worry ‘bout it because of the whole fur thing, and Frisk always has plenty of blankets, so…” Alfred gestured this way and that as he spoke. “Little Begs took most of the blankets because… well I’m pretty sure it’s obvious.”

“Ohh, okay, that makes sense. Did you and Nana have plenty of blankets?”

“Begs made sure to give us some before she took the rest, don’t worry,” Alfred chuckled, “she’s not that heartless.”

You grin, then look towards the kitchen. “So… is Nana making…?”

“She and Toriel are bonding over baking. And yes, she made coffee cake, but she’s not letting anyone touch it until everyone’s awake.” He laughs at your pout. “ _Trust me_ , you’re not the only one who made that face too.” You huff and walk around the couch to sit next to Gaster, but stop when you hear Toriel calling your name. You blink, entering the kitchen just as she’s removing her oven mitts.

“Bertha, if you would excuse me a moment, I must speak to your granddaughter.” Toriel smiles. “Worry not, she is not in trouble with me.”

“I would certainly hope not.” Bertha laughs and kisses your cheek. “Do hurry, dear! I’d love to hear about this butterscotch pie of yours!”

“But of course, my friend! It will just be a moment.” Toriel places a warm paw on your shoulder and guides you all the way back to your room. She shuts the door, gestures for you to sit on the bed, and takes a seat next to you.

She takes your hand. “My child, you must know of what the effects will be now that part of your soul is gone.” Your lips tug into a soft frown. You knew this was coming, you just hoped it wasn’t _too_ bad. You nod for her to continue. “My dear, brave child…You will be able to continue working at your job, so long as the tasks you must do do not provide too much stress on your body or soul. And speaking of stress…” She gives you that look that means she’s about to scold you and you look away.

“The lifestyle you have right now---eating all these greasy foods or noodle cups, not getting a proper amount of sleep, bombarding yourself with all this schoolwork… it is not good for you. It was not good for you then, and it will _not_ be good for you now.” She looks at you. “You know what your soul is, yes?”

“My… entire being…?”

“Yes. This body you have, all these bones and muscles and skin, it acts as a shield for your soul. Your soul is _you_ , the true you. It defines who you are, it influences how you act, how you feel.”

Your look down at your chest, then back at her. “So… my body is like… a puppet? With my soul pulling the strings?”

“In a… very basic manner of speaking, yes.” Toriel reaches for you, a silent request for permission. You scoot closer and let her wrap an arm around your shoulders. “My child… do you understand what it means to a dim soul? To have gray patches in it?” You shake your head. “A dim soul means---” she sighs “---it is difficult to put into words, but it means you… shut the world out, you erase your traits, you no longer care, you… are more of an empty shell than anything.”

“Alive, but… not _living._ ”

“Yes… And… a cracked soul means that you have had past pains. Everyone has them, but of course, it affects everyone differently. The worse a crack is, the bigger the pain. If a soul has a combination of grey and cracks, then that person---monster or human---are fragile. Mainly mentally…” Your frown deepens, and Toriel gently squeezes your shoulder. “My child, I do not say this to upset you, it is a… lesson about souls. It is imperative you know this because of your… condition.”

She holds you tighter, more protectively. “Most cracked or grey souls are not as fragile as monsters. Even souls that have completely grayed out can live on for at least another lifetime. But some… some human souls are more fragile than a monster’s soul.” Again, she gently taps your chest.

“Yours was… from what I understood, it was in the middle. It was still healing. Your soul still had---still has past pains, it needed time to heal. Then you gave part of it to Gaster. And now that part of it is gone…” She sighs and explains, “It is not going to be an easy life from here. You will get tired more easily. You will feel more…”

You place a hand on your chest, gripping at your sweater. “Empty?”

“...Yes.” She takes your other hand and you gaze into her eyes, the eyes of a concerned, loving mother. The eyes you wish you had seen in your younger days. “It is always possible to return the vibrancy of your soul, to heal the cracks in it, to overcome your past pains, but _this?_ It is… possible to grow _accustomed_ to it, the empty feeling, of how a part of you is missing. But to overcome it… I am honestly unsure if that is possible without needing to return the piece of your soul to you, which I am sure you do not wish for.”

You look down, focusing on the warmth in her paws instead. She gently squeezes your hands. “You will tire more easily… your emotions might come in stronger now, good and bad. And…” It’s her turn to not look at you. “Other monsters that can sense or feel souls easier than others… they will know part of yours is gone. They will sense the pieces of Gaster’s soul that is not truly his. They… might react… very unhappily. There is a chance they---” She stops and shakes her head. You look at her, but she refuses to meet your gaze.

“Toriel?”

When she does look at you, she forces a smile that’s all too fake. She pulls you into a tight hug and pets your hair and whispers something to you in a language you don’t recognize. But before you can ask what she meant, she pulls away and takes your hands again.

“My child. Your illness, your worries… I saw them as I helped your soul. Forgive me, my child, but it was not in my control. However… I must tell you that if anything is bothering you, if you start to feel overly stressed or _anything_ \---” she squeezes your hands, then places a paw on your cheek “---you can always call me, my dear child. Or any of your friends. They care for you, they will do whatever it takes to ensure your happiness and well-being. It is… it is imperative now more than ever to talk about this.”

“Easier said than done…” You mutter. She leans down to press her forehead against yours.

“It always is, my child… but your soul might not be able to handle such things anymore.” Toriel pulls back to look at you. “Please, my child, promise me that if anything starts to trouble you, you will… at least _try_ to talk to one of us.”

You don’t reply at first, you just stare at her. She looks so worried for you---someone she barely knew. Her eyes, her stare… the stare you’ve longed for for so long. Your lips purse into a thin line, then you scoot closer and wrap your arms around her. She returns the embrace, and instantly you feel so warm, so… so _loved_. Your chest tightens, but not in a bad way.

“I’ll try…” You whisper, your voice quivering. Toriel gently shushes you, placing a paw on your head.

“That is all I ask for, my dear child.” She gives you a loving squeeze. “My dear, brave, loving child… you have come so far.” Then she pulls back to smile at you. “Now… I am sure you would like to spend the day with your friends. Perhaps even help decorate a few cookies later?”

You smile back and nod. “Yes, please. I… I’d love to.” You shouldn’t think too much about it, it’ll only make you feel horrible for… who knows how long. You shouldn’t feel bad for helping Gaster---you _won’t_ feel bad for helping him.

And besides, Toriel’s right. You have so many friends you can talk to know should things start bothering you. Sure, it… won’t be easy to talk at first, but… you’ll admit you’ve gotten better. Right, just keep thinking positive! You smile to yourself. You’ve grown over the last few years, you should be proud, and you---you are. You’re going to graduate college soon, you have a job, and you made so many new, amazing friends! Your smile strengthens. You’ve come so far, and the only way to go is up.

The both of you stand and head back into the living room. Frisk is there now, signing animatedly to Gaster while Asgore talks to Alfred and Adrian is lounging in the loveseat, combing out their fur. You hear Undyne and Papyrus whining in the kitchen, then see see Bertha dragging the two monsters in question---Undyne by her fin and Papyrus by his nasal bone---out of said kitchen.

“Aw, _c’mon!_ ”

“BUT---BUT---BUT---!”

“No buts, mister!” Bertha lets them both go and crosses her arms. “I told you both once, I will tell you both again; no one can have any until everyone is awake!” Toriel joins her side, and it really was a photo book worthy moment. An eight foot tall goat monster standing next to a five foot nothing human grandmother, giving two monsters---that are six foot seven and seven feet respectively---a good finger wagging.

“Undyne, Papyrus, if you both are so eager to enjoy some coffee cake, then _you both_ may go wake up everyone else who is sleeping,” Toriel says, watching their shoulders slump. “It is practically time for brunch anyhow, so you might as well go wake them.”

“YES, MA’AM…”

“Ugh, _fine,_ ” Undyne groans. You snort, giving away your presence, and the two monsters look at you. Undyne gives you a big, shark-toothed grin, and lightly punches your shoulder as she passes by. “Heya, punk.” Then she disappears down the hall while Bertha and Toriel go back into the kitchen.

Adrian hops off the loveseat and lovingly nuzzles your face. “Hey, girl. I’m gonna go wake the lovebugs. Wish me luck.”

“It was nice knowin’ you, Adrian,” you laugh, nuzzling them back. They finger gun your way, then turn around and jump up the stairs two at a time.

Then Papyrus pulls you into a tight embrace. “GOOD NEARLY AFTERNOON, MY HUMAN FRIEND!” He nuzzles your cheek and carefully sets you down. His hand lingers on your arm and you notice his bone-brows furrowing just a fraction. A sign of worry, a silent question: _how are you feeling?_

You smile, leaning up to peck his cheekbone and say, “Good nearly afternoon, Paps.” Then your tone lowers as you whisper, **[I feel fine, no worries.]**

He nods. Then he perks up again. “COME, LET US GO WAKE MY LAZY BROTHER AND HAVE BRUNCH!” He holds his hand out to you and bends down a bit. “QUICK, HOP ON MY BACK. I CAN RUN FASTER THAN THE TWO OF US COMBINED.” You hear a series of snickers and giggles from your immediate right and promptly ignore them. But you do reach over to ruffle at Frisk’s hair.

“I hope you can support my weight, Paps. I’m heavier than I look.” You take Papyrus’s hand and step on his femur, then swing around onto his back. He hooks his arms under your legs, you wrap your own around his neck.

“HAH, THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS _STRONGER_ THAN HE LOOKS, HUMAN FRIEND!”

You laugh, “How heavy am I to you?”

“ABOUT AS HEAVY AS A BAG OF GRAPES, I’D SAY.” He then proceeds to charge up the stairs while yelling, “CHAAAAARGE!” You laugh louder and hold on tight as he rushes down the hallway and skids to a stop at one door. He bends down to let you reach over and open the door, then steps inside. “SANS! WAKE UP YOU LAZYBONES! IT’S TIME FOR BRUNCH! IT’S LIKE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH, BUT NOT.”

The room Sans slept in has two beds, one of them neatly made while the other was a mess of blankets, Sans being under all that. You guessed the skeleton brothers shared this room while staying here. You hear a series of groans under the blankets.

You decide to try, “C’mon, Sans! Nana makes _amazing_ omelets and you can put as much ketchup on them as you want.” The blankets shift. “Do I need to **egg** you on anymore?” You hear a muffled snicker and notice Papyrus glaring at you, but he’s grinning. Despite your efforts, Sans still doesn’t come out from under the covers.

“I don’t think puns are enough, Paps.” You lean closer to his skull to whisper, “I have an idea, put me down.” He carefully and quietly sets you down. You put a finger to your lips, then start inching closer to the bed. When you’re just a few paces away, you jump right onto the pile of blankets. You hear Sans go, _‘oompf!’_ and you shift around, laying your stomach on what you’re guessing is his back.

“Come on, Sans! Up up up!” You sit up to start pulling blankets off, and right when you see a bit of Sans’s skull, he grabs the blanket from your hand and pulls it back over his head.

“mmmmmnnnn… five more minutes.” You hear him say, his voice thick with drowsiness. You flop onto him again and huff, looking at Papyrus.

“That didn’t work. You got any ideas?”

“YOUR ATTEMPT WAS GOOD, HUMAN FRIEND. BUT ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU HOW IT’S DONE.” He approaches the bed and gently ushers you off the bed. He grabs a fistful of the covers and yanks them off, nearly throwing Sans off the bed too.

Sans jolts up, sockets wide. Once he focuses on you and Papyrus he groans, flopping back onto a pile of pillows. He rubs at his sockets and blinks drearily up at the two of you. “mmm… sup bro, sup kiddo.” He grins lazily, but Papyrus is having none of it. He grabs Sans and picks him up, neatly tucking his older brother under his arm and then holds out his free hand out to you.

“YOU HAVE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH SLEEP, SANS. IT’S TIME TO STOP BEING SUCH A LAZYBONES AND EAT!” Papyrus huffs. You take his hand and follow him back down the stairs. Alphys is downstairs now, sitting in the loveseat with Undyne. She puts her glasses on after cleaning them and smiles sleepily at you, waving.

You return the wave and let Papyrus’s hand go to sit next to Gaster. Frisk---who had been currently nestled in Gaster’s lap---scooted over so they sat in yours now. They wrap their little arms around your neck to peck your cheek and sign good morning to you, then reaches over to grab Gaster’s hand and places it on yours.

Before either of you could say anything, Frisk hops off your lap and rushes over to flop onto Sans as he lays on the couch. You look at Gaster, who’s a decent shade of purple now, but he doesn’t remove his hand. You figure it’s just been a while since he’s actually physical contact, so it must be a little strange for him. Gently nudging him with your shoulder, you give him a big smile and his hand an encouraging squeeze. His blush seemed to calm at that and he nudged you back, smiling softly.

Adrian comes down too with Begonia and Muffet in tow. They greet you with nuzzles and kisses and good mornings (more like afternoon, but that’s beside the point). Within ten minutes, everyone has a plate filled with bacon and eggs and your grandmother’s infamous coffee cake. The food is so delicious you end up having three plates. That and maybe it’s been a minute since you ate, you just know you’re hungry.

When everyone’s done eating (and all the coffee cake is gone) Undyne, Papyrus, Adrian, and Frisk rush back outside to continue planning their snowball war. Begonia and Muffet simply cuddle under a thick, warm blanket while channel surfing. Sans fell back asleep on the couch while Alphys is engrossed in a book.

Both your grandparents plus Toriel and Asgore had disappeared down the hall after asking you if you could wash the dishes while they discussed… something. They didn’t say, and you didn’t want to pry. So now you were currently cleaning the dishes and the small mess made in the kitchen. Not even a full five minutes later Gaster came in and offered his assistance, which you gratefully accepted.

The two of you were like a well oiled machine. You would scrub off anything that couldn’t be rinsed and then handed it to Gaster so he could get the soap bubbles off it and either put them on the drying rack or in the dishwasher. You wiped the flour and such off the counters, being careful not to get any on the floor, and tossed the messy paper towels into the trash.

You had reached for a large glass mixing bowl you were saving for last so you could scrub the batter off it, but Gaster swiped it from you at the last second. You huff and give him a firm pout, and you bump your hip against his side. “Gasteerrrr, I’m supposed to scrub.”

He turns to you and smiles---was it… forced? It was hard to tell---then gently elbows you and says, **[You got everything else, allow me to clean this one.]**

Again, you huff, but grin and stand beside him. “Alright, just this once.” You watch him as he scrubs. More specifically, you watch his face. You notice the dark circles under his sockets and tilt your head. “Gaster, I have a question.” You bite back your smile when you notice him visibly perk up, all too eager to answer.

When his attention is on you, you open your mouth, then close it. Would he answer whether he’s been sleeping well or not? Considering that he’s the father of Sans? You’re pretty sure he won’t. You frown, but it quickly lifts into a smile again and you ask, “Can you control your temperature? You’re always so warm.”

 **[Ah, well, skeleton monsters have always been more resilient than most other monsters. Our bones remain warm during winter, but cool during the summer,]** Gaster explains, rinsing the bubbles off the mixing bowl. He places it on the drying rack and shuts the faucet off, then turns to you.

“Can you guys even get hot or cold?”

 **[Of course, my darling. We are not invincible,]** he chuckles softly, **[but it would take a lot to affect us. In a way, it is as you said, we can control our body temperatures.]**

“Huh… wow.” You lean against the counter, smiling up at him. “That’s really… **cool**.”

Gaster snorts and---oh, the look on his face when he realizes he lost his composure. You only smile bigger at his blush and him trying to quickly and smoothly regain that composure that’s been thrown out the window. You nudge him with your shoulder, walking back into the living room to sit down. There was some cooking channel on right now that was more idle background noise than anything, but Muffet was completely engrossed in it.

A full minute passes before Gaster comes into the living room as well and takes his place next to you. **[I am going** **_tibia_ ** **honest with you, my darling. That could have had more** **_backbone_ ** **to it.]**

You and Sans snicker.

“you guys tellin’ puns behind my **backbone** ? that’s real **heartless** of you.” Sans lifts Frisk up so he can sit up, then lays them back down on his lap.

 **[It was** **_ulna_ ** **a few** **_rib-ticklers_ ** **, my son. But to** **_patella_ ** **the truth, I do have a** **_femur_ ** **up my sleeve.]**

“ _Ugh_ ,” you hear Begonia say, “you are _such_ dorks.” But you see her smiling.

You grin. “I think they’re being rather **humerus** ,” you laugh, failing to block the pillow being thrown at you. You were going to throw it back, when you hear a tune being knocked at the door. You hop to your feet and holler, “I got it!”

Rushing to the door, you open up the door and smile. “Hello! Can I… help… you…” Your eyes widen, your mouth hangs open. A gloved hand reaches over and gently taps your chin and you shut your mouth, your shoulders hunching up. “Uhm… uh…”

“My goodness, I _must_ have the wrong address.” The… rather tall robot man gives you a big, warm smile. “I was led to believe this was the house of the dearest Miss Toriel and Sir Asgore, not a lovely lady such as yourself.”

Your cheeks flush. “Uhm---uh---Gaaaaass---Ssssaaaaaaaaaaannssss?”

“tall robot that’s way shinier than humanly possible?” You hear him yell. That makes you snicker and share a smile with the robot.

“Uh… yeeeaaah…?”

“lock the door.”

The robot scoffs and flips his hair, hollering, “Sansy, you are just _so_ cruel!”

“told you repeatedly to never call me that, bolts.”

He leans down to whisper, “He loves me, darling, don’t worry. This is normal for us.” He offers his hand and you take it. He brings yours up to his metal lips and gently kisses them. “Mettaton. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I half lied. I meant to have Mettaton show up A LOT earlier in the chapter, but this ended up longer than I thought, so there'll be more of him in the next one, don't worry!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Such a happy, cute, cliche little chapter.

You manage to introduce yourself to---to _Mettaton_ between stammers and then stand there awkwardly for about ten more seconds. Then you jump and start stammering some more, “O---Oh my gosh, I---I---I’m so sorry! Y---You, uhm, you p---probably wanna come in!” You hurriedly step aside for him to enter the house.

He shuts the door and reaches over, pinching your chin. “No need to be so tense and nervous, darling. _Always_ a pleasure to meet a fan.” He blinks at you---or winks? You’re sure it’s a wink, since you can’t really see his other eye. You slap your hands onto your very warm cheeks and follow him to the living room, stopping when he did right at the entrance.

“Oh. My. Stars.” Mettaton puts a hand to his chestplate. “ _Begonia!_ How is my favorite, most beautiful and talented tree monster? And---oh, _oh_ , what is _this_ I see?” He steps closer and takes Muffet’s hand, kissing it. “Dearest Muffet! Have you two finally decided to ‘tie the knot’ as the humans like to say?”

Muffet giggles, “Oh, Ton-Ton, dearest, you are just a _gem!_ ” She leans up to kiss him on both cheeks. “You must stop by the bakery again at some point before you go on another tour.”

“My lovely Muffet, are you using my stardom to get more customers?” Mettaton huffed, “You could at least _try_ to be more subtle, darling.”

“Oh, dearie, you know I love you, but I do enjoy business just a bit more. Of course, I do love my dearest here more than all that.” Muffet lovingly nuzzled Begonia’s cheek as an example and Begonia smiles, nuzzling her back.

“Well, it’s _about time_ you both finally get hitched. And I thought _humans_ were slow with their relationships!” Mettaton huffs, dramatically flipping his hair.

You slowly walk over to the couch and sit next to Gaster, your face still red. Then you blink and look at Begonia. “Beggy… how do you know Mettaton?”

“Oh, right… I kinda sang for him at his hotel back in the underground.” Begonia shrugs. “Now he tries to get me to work for him after going topside.”

“And you always turn me down, _much_ to my despair, darling.”

“I’ll be lying awake in bed tonight thinking about how sad you are I keep rejecting you,” she deadpans. But she and Mettaton share a fond smile a second later.

Then his attention is on you. “Darling, I never knew you were a friend of Begonia’s! Then again, she never texts me anymore. Or calls. Or _writes_. But that’s fine, I’m perfectly alright with being utterly alone without my dearest tree friend.”

“I am overwhelmed with guilt, Mettaton.” Begonia rolls her eyes, but you notice her smile growing.

Mettaton loosely takes your hand in his and says, “We simply _must_ chat over that meeting story, darling, but that is for another time.” Then he turns to Sans. “Hello, Sansy, so good to see you again.”

“i’d be lying if i said the feeling was mutual, bolts.”

“Oh Sansy, when will you stop calling me that? You know how it hurts me so.”

“i’ll stop callin’ you bolts when you stop callin’ me sansy.” Sans shrugs and leans back against the couch, grinning up at Mettaton. You notice his posture was a bit more stiff than usual, but there was a sort of trust shining in his sockets for Mettaton that you didn’t expect to see.

He just huffs, then turns to Alphys. You see his rather… flamboyant and confident demeanor changed completely. Now it’s something softer, inviting, gentle. He took Alphys’s hand and placed his other on top of hers. “Hello, dearest. It’s so good to see you again.” Even his tone was quieter.

Alphys smiles up at him. “It’s g---good to s---see you again t---t---too, Muh---Mettaton. H---How’ve you b---buh---been?”

“Wonderful as always, dearest. And I hope you are doing just as well.” He leans down to peck her cheek and smiles. “You know that if you need anything you may call me.”

“O---Of course! S---Same g---guh---goes for y---you.” Alphys beams, squeezing his hand and nuzzles his cheek. When he pulls away and looks at Gaster, he looks like he’s about to say something, but then the back door slams open.

You hear a _THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP!_ And Papyrus bolts into the living room and practically jumps into Mettaton’s arms. “METTATOOOON!!” He nuzzles and ‘kisses’ Mettaton’s face, his bony arms wrapping about the laughing robot. He returns the loving embrace, kissing Papyrus’s cheekbones.

“Papy dear! It’s so good to see you again! It’s been _far_ too long and I’m just heartbroken I couldn't see you as much as I wanted to this year.” His smile falls into a pout and he leans down to nuzzle at Papyrus’s nasal bone. “Can you ever forgive me, my love?”

“OF COURSE, METTATON! I UNDERSTAND HOW IT CAN BE REALLY HARD BEING FAMOUS AND ON TOURS!”

“Oh, Papy dear, what did I do to deserve someone as sweet as you?” Mettaton smiles and cups Papyrus’s cheekbone. “I still promise to make it up to you, dearest, I’ve missed you and your wonderful spaghetti so.”

A hint of an orange blush appears on Paprus’s cheeks. He leans in closer, gently, lovingly bonking his head against Mettaton’s. You smile. It’s so adorable---wait.

The realization hits you like a sack of bricks. “Wait---Paps… your---your boyfriend---you---you’re dating _Mettaton?_ ” You remember Papyrus mentioning he had a boyfriend but---you… you didn’t expect---oh man… Papyrus said that his boyfriend is always travelling and is a good dancer and very fashionable and---holy crap how have you not realized it sooner. You feel so stupid.

Mettaton starts giggling and Papyrus laughs. “NYEH HEH HEH! YES, HUMAN! SURPRISED, ARE YOU?” Once again, your face turns red

“I---I mean---you’ve mentioned him before---I remember! But---I just---I didn’t expect---”

“Not many do, darling, and that’s a good thing. We try to keep our relationship at least a _little_ on the down low, of course.” Mettaton wraps an arm around Papyrus’s waist and pecks his cheekbone. “I wouldn’t be able to recharge at night if my precious Papy got bombarded by paparazzi. Bunch of little gremlins, they are.”

“I’m… honestly surprised they haven’t found out yet,” you admit quietly, patting at your red cheeks. Gaster pats your knee. “Or that any of it is online…”

Mettaton leans down to you to whisper, “Let’s just say I have my ways, darling, and leave it at that~” You blink and snicker, sharing a smile with him. That definitely helps you calm your blush. Another wink, then he pulls back.

“OH YES! I ALMOST FORGOT! METTATON, THIS IS MY GOOD HUMAN FRIEND!” He gestures to you with a big flourish you’re pretty sure he got from Mettaton. “SHE IS VERY SMART AND TALENTED WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING AND DRAWING!” Oh man, you _just_ managed to calm your blush. Now it’s coming back ten-fold.

“A writer _and_ an artist?Darling, I _must_ see these works! Tell me, do you take commissions? I would be more than happy to pay you for your works.” Okay, now your entire face, ears and all, have turned a very dark red. You’re sinking back into the couch and hiding behind your hands and words are becoming very hard to form.

“Mettaton!” Begonia throws a pillow at him. “Don’t break my friend! She’s very delicate when it comes to compliments!”

“Oh yes, the poor dearie is very delicate. She can only handle so many at once,” Muffet agrees with a nod, but you see her grinning at you. You wish you had a pillow of your own to throw at her.

“trust me, if you give her any more compliments, she’ll probably combust.” You didn’t need to see Sans’s face to know he has a huge shit-eating grin.

“There’s no ‘probably’ about it. She’ll definitely combust if she receives any more compliments,” you hear Adrian snickering. Okay, you wish you had several pillows for _all_ your friends.

Is today ‘make the human blush’ day? Because you’re pretty sure you’ve met your quota of being flustered for the next month or two.

“Awww, darling, there’s no need to be shy!” Mettaton reaches over and takes your hands, holding them tenderly. You let him pull them away from your red, red face. “There’s that adorable little face.” He smiles and your shoulders hunch up. “In all seriousness, darling, I mean it when I say I would love to see your work. I happily support _all_ artists~”

“Uhm… I uh…” You try to find your voice, your words, but fail. You swallow some spit and try again, “I d---don’t really… have anything with me r---right now…”

“Oh, sweetling, don’t worry about that! We can talk business after the holiday!” He lets your hands go to wave his own about. “Afterwards though, I expect to see your work.” He winks. You force a smile and a nod, then proceed to hide your face again. Gaster reaches over to gently pat your knee again.

“And who is this strapping young skeleton? Papy dear, are you and Sans related to him?”

“OH, OH, OH! THIS IS MY DAD, METTATON! HE---” Papyrus stops. He looks at you, then at Gaster, then leans closer to whisper something only to Mettaton. His visible eye widens, mouth hanging open. He steals a glance to you, then Gaster.

“ _Mon Dieu…_ ” He murmurs, but he’s quick to smile again, holding his hand out to Gaster. “I can see the resemblance, Papy dear! Hello there, darling, you may call me Mettaton.”

Gaster stands and bows, providing an inviting smile. **[It is very good to meet you too, sir. You may call me Gaster,]** he says, taking Mettaton’s hand and shaking it.

“Oh, _there’s_ a language I haven’t had to translate in a while. Let me see here…” He clears his throat and presses a hand to his chestplate. **[Darling, it’s an honor to meet the father of my dearest.]**

You couldn’t see the lights in Gaster’s sockets shine brighter, but you can see his shoulders rolling back and him standing more straight, more proud. **[It is an honor to meet my son’s boyfriend. I am glad to see that he is happy with you. Also, there is no need for you to use my language if you do not wish, I can understand you perfectly fine.]**

Mettaton chuckles, his demeanor changing again, like when he addressed Alphys. He looks more relaxed, maybe even relieved. “As you wish, darling. And my greatest desire is to ensure the happiness of my dearest Papy.” He pecks Papyrus on the cheekbone as if to emphasis his statement.

There’s another series of footfalls and Mettaton looks over. He gasps, a gloved hand coming up to his mouth as he stares at the bouncing, grinning child. “Oh my stars, I simply _must_ know who this _adorable_ little thing is!” Frisk eagerly jumps into Mettaton’s open arms, giggling and nuzzling his cheek all the while he laughs and peppers their face in kisses.

“This just _can’t_ be the darling little human I saw just a few months ago! Have you grown? You can’t have, you’re still so little,” he chuckles and dips Frisk, kissing their little red cheeks. “ _Ma douce petite Frisk, comment je vous ai manqué ainsi!_ ” He brings them back up and lets them sit on his arm, easily holding them up. “You and I must have another dance off soon, little love! With less bombs and the sort, of course.”

Frisk giggles again and nods, signing, ***Mom wouldn’t be happy if there were bombs again.***

“Darling, don’t remind me. Her stare still haunts me to this day.” Mettaton shivers, then smiles and plops them on the couch next to Sans. He and Papyrus sit next to each other on one end of the couch, and Mettaton drapes his legs over Papyrus’s lap. You watch them for a moment, talking, flirting (Mettaton doing more of the flirting). You’ve honestly never seen Papyrus look so happy it makes you smile so big.

You look up at Gaster and nudge him gently. He leans down so you can murmur, “You’re okay with it?”

 **[Of course, my darling. Papyrus is old and wise enough to make his own decisions, no matter what other people believe.]** He smiles. **[And he is clearly happy with Mister Mettaton. But of course… if he breaks my son’s heart…]** He leans down further to whisper to you, **[Let us just say, I know my way around robots.]** He sits up properly again while you snicker.

Toriel, Asgore, and your grandparents finally returned from their private conversation and say hello to Mettaton. Your grandparents, bless their hearts, proceed to interrogate him after realizing he’s dating Papyrus; they had to make sure Mettaton really was treating his boyfriend right and it warms your soul to know they care for Papyrus enough to do that. Eventually, they warm up to Mettaton and sit on the couch to relax, and Frisk goes back outside to play some more with Adrian and Undyne.

As time passed, a few other monsters and humans stopped by mostly to say hello and drop off presents for Frisk. Not many stay for long, only for a quick chat and a cup of eggnog, but they leave to enjoy the holiday with their own families.

You realize a good majority of the monsters that took notice of you and Gaster stare for longer than you’re comfortable with, but they don’t say anything. The way they stare at you… can they tell? You remember noticing Mettaton giving you the same stare, but his was more… somber.

You frown, scooting closer to Gaster as he wraps an arm around you. Was this what Toriel meant by other monsters knowing? You feel like there was more she wanted to say when talking about that particular subject, but you also feel like you wouldn’t enjoy hearing what she said.

Would monsters hate you and Gaster? Would they pity you and hate only Gaster?

_They’ll hate Gaster for what he did to you, and you know how that will go._

Your frown deepens. Why now…

 _They’ll shun him. Exclude him from everything because he hurt a human. He almost_ **_killed_ ** _a human._

You sink further into the couch, staring at the television and trying to will the thoughts away.

 _Gaster will end up hating_ **_you._ **

_He’ll wish he had never gone with your idiotic plan._

You feel a hand squeeze your shoulder and look up at the skeleton in question. He says nothing, but the look on his face is clear; he’s worried. He squeezes your shoulder again in a silent question. You shake your head. Not now. He raises a bone brow, clearly not satisfied with that answer. You rest your head against his ribs and mumble a, ‘later’ into his turtleneck.

Again, he squeezes your shoulder, more to comfort you than anything. You close your eyes, feeling the rise and fall of his ribs. It’s nice, it helps distract you, keeps you grounded. You listen to the quiet hum of magic coming from his chest. You reach over and grab his other hand. He doesn’t pull away, and so you bring his hand closer to look it over. You touch each finger, feeling the bone. You trace the outside of the circle in his hand over and over and over. You let his hand go and nuzzle your face into his turtleneck again.  You still feel your chest tightening, but you still feel a bit better than before.

Frisk, Undyne, and Adrian come back inside to warm up. That and because the sun was starting to sink into the horizon, and it was getting closer to dinner time.

Not long after that, you’re shocked to see that even Grillby had come by for a short time to say hello and drop something off for Frisk. He greets you with a happy wave and pauses for half a second when he sees Gaster. You notice the flames on his head flickering and getting smaller and for a second you feel like something bad is going to happen, but then the flames go back to normal and he nods to Gaster. You see Gaster nodding back.

He lingers just for a moment longer to say---or sign, really---something to Asgore, and then he starts to leave. You were paying more attention to the television, but out of the corner of your eye you see Grillby’s hand resting on Gaster’s shoulder for a full second. Then he pulls away, waves goodbye to everyone, and leaves. No doubt to have Christmas with his own family.

You look up at Gaster and notice his expression changed. He looks thoughtful, maybe a little sad, but it’s gone as soon as he realizes you staring. He smiles and rubs your arm to encourage you he’s okay, but now you know it’s a lie. Though you decide not to say anything. Not yet. When you talk to him later you’ll ask what was on his mind.

Right now you’ll just get some eggnog. Yes, eggnog sounds really good right now. You pat his hand and move to stand up. He removes his arm from around you and you get up and walk to the kitchen. You peck Bertha on the cheek as you pass her and peek around Toriel to see what they were cooking. Oooh, green bean casserole! And it looks like they’re making something with sweet potatoes too. You smile, stepping over to the fridge.

You didn’t even realize Gaster had followed you to the kitchen until you turn around with the carton of eggnog. You start, nearly dropping the carton in your hands, but manage to regain yourself without spilling anything. You see the little lights in his sockets flicker, his mouth twitching up into a grin.

 **[My apologies, my darling. I did not realize I move that quietly,]** he says, but you hear him holding back his laughter.

You smack at his arm and mutter, “Jerk.” Gaster’s smile just grows, and he summons a pair of ghostly hands to reach over and grab two cups. He presents one to you while taking the other. You take the cup and elbow him lightly, your pout forming into a small smile. You couldn’t stay mad at him for long, you really couldn’t.

Pouring a cup for yourself, you hand him the carton and walk over to the entryway of the kitchen. You lean against the wall, watching the television and sipping your eggnog. You notice Undyne stealing a glance your way and then grinning real wide. You smile at her, then turn to Gaster when he places a hand on your shoulder. That’s when you hear Undyne snorting loudly and bursting into laughter.

You look over at her again and she’s wiping a tear away before pointing above your head. You look up and---

…

“You have _got_ to be joking…” You mutter under your breath, a light pink dusting your cheeks. Your face isn’t as _nearly_ as dark as Gaster’s when he sees the mistletoe above your heads. You turn to glare at Undyne, but it only makes her laugh harder. And now everyone’s looking at you. You notice Sans and Adrian winking your way and your slap your hand over your face. Ugh… You look at Gaster and see him fidgeting. In fact, you’ve never seen him look this nervous.

He bends down to whisper, **[If you do not wish to, my darling, I will not force you…]** He refuses to meet your gaze, but you see he wants to. You smile, reaching out to him with your free hand and cupping his cheek. His attention snaps to you as your thumb runs along the crack under his eye, then you lean in and kiss the crack.

Undyne whoops loudly, clapping and laughing while Adrian gives a low wolf-whistle. Your make a face, then watch Gaster lean closer and kisses your cheek. Nearly his entire skull had turned purple now and his fidgeting is worse than ever. Had you been paying attention, you would’ve seen Sans and Papyrus give Gaster a thumbs up.

You and Gaster hurry over to the couch and sit down. Adrian jumps from their spot and plops down next to you, nuzzling your cheek. “Giiiirl, that was adorable! And don’t worry, I’m sure we all got a great angle!” They show off their phone to emphasis and _now_ your face is red.

“Adrian! Delete those!” You reach for their phone, but they hold it away. “You jerk!!”

“Come ooooon, you look so cute in your ugly sweater!” Adrian chuckles, pecking your cheek. You pout, pushing them away and look at Gaster. His blush had calmed, but boy oh boy he’s very fidgety and is refusing to look at you even when you nudge him. Deciding to leave him be, you watch Undyne lifting Alphys up and carrying her over to the mistletoe to give her a big kiss. Alphys’s face is about as red as Gaster’s is purple and she’s a giggling mess.

You guess it’s time for _everyone_ to kiss under the mistletoe, because your grandparents even step there for a moment to share a sweet, chaste kiss. Then Toriel and Asgore nuzzle each other’s noses before kissing. Then they proceed to cover Frisk’s cheeks in loving kisses too. Begonia slipped out from under the large comforter to kiss Muffet under the mistletoe too, and hundreds of roses sprout from her head, the petals falling to her feet.

You notice Mettaton pulling Papyrus over as well and trailing his finger along his ribs. Mettaton looked like he was about to lean in for a kiss, but Papyrus had dipped him low and pressed his teeth to Mettaton’s lips. A series of loud whoops and whistles echo in the room. When they come back up, Mettaton is absolutely speechless.

He blinks, then starts giggling. “Wowie, Papy dear. I didn’t know you had it in you~”

“YOU WERE THE ONE THAT ALWAYS DIPPED ME, I WANTED TO DO IT THIS TIME!” He looks nervous all the sudden, tugging at his scarf. “IS… THAT ALRIGHT?”

“Oh, Papy, of course! I loved it, darling, just like I love everything you do.” He leans down to nuzzle Papyrus’s cheekbone. Once they sat back down, you see Adrian grinning at Sans. They hop up and plop right back down next to him.

“Saaaaaans, you know who the only two monsters who haven’t gotten their kisses yet aaaaaaare?” They lean closer, wrapping a winged arm around Sans as he tries leaning away.

“no.”

“Aww, but Saaaaaaaans!”

“no.”

“Don’t be shy!” Sans turns into a deadweight as he’s picked up, but Adrian’s stronger than they look. They carry his limp body over. “Stop denying your love for me, Sansy!”

“you are officially dead to me.”

“That’s fine by me!” Adrian lifts Sans’s body and covers his skull in kisses and nuzzles. Sans groans, trying to break free while exerting the least amount of energy at the same time. Everyone's just laughing at the two, even you couldn’t help but giggle at them. You turn to Gaster and see he’s _much_ more relaxed than he was a minute ago. He looks at you again and smiles, lifting his arm in a silent offering. You scoot closer, letting him wrap his arm around you as you drape your legs over his lap. You nuzzle your face into his turtleneck, relishing in the warmth he emitted.

The rest of the evening isn’t as eventful as you thought it would be, but you didn’t mind in all honesty. You all ate and watched television. Toriel apologized for not being able to make the frosting for the cookies and promised it will happen tomorrow. After the presents were opened, of course. You’re pretty sure Papyrus and Frisk were the most excited about tomorrow. Watching them happily talk (or sign, in Frisk’s case) put a smile on your face.

Eventually, as it got later, everyone started turning in for the night. You, Sans, Mettaton, and Gaster were the only ones left in the living room by the time the clock hit eleven thirty in the evening. You remained sitting close to Gaster, practically snuggled up against him, deeply enjoying his warmth and the feeling of his fingers combing your hair.

You knew you were dozing off, but you were _way_ too comfy to be moved. You made _that_ by wrapping your arms around Gaster and nuzzling your face into his chest. You knew he could easily carry you to your room, but you’re glad he didn’t. Instead he just continued to hold you and pet your head, combing out what little tangles he could find.

Had you been fully awake and paying attention, you would’ve noticed his face turning a dark shade of purple. Or that Mettaton and Sans were giving him _very_ knowing smiles.

Within ten more minutes, you were fast asleep. Gaster looked over your face, his lips twitching up into a smile at how peaceful you looked. He pushed a few stray strands away, and then continued petting your head.

“So, darling…” Mettaton started. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned forward, resting his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. “When will _you_ tie the knot?”

Gaster sputters and stiffens, his face flushing a dark purple once more. He gripped your shoulder a bit tighter than he meant to and was quick to loosen it when you started to shift around. He rubs the spot he gripped too hard, pressing his lips to your hair as a form of apology. You sigh and relax in his hold again.

He then turns his attention to Mettaton, frowning. **[Do you not have to recharge?]**

“Ohhh, I can see where Sansy gets a bit of the hostility,” he chuckles, making sure the volume of his voice is low so he doesn’t wake you. “I meant no offence by it, darling. I was simply wondering. It’s _very_ clear you care for her.”

Gaster doesn’t reply at first. He looks off to the side, then to you, then back to Mettaton. **[I care for her, yes. Just as everyone else does,]** he says, his tone quiet.

“dad, seriously?” Sans snorts. He sinks comfortably into the couch, resting his hands on his ribs. “if that’s you trying to hide it, you gotta keep trying.” He looks at you, then at his father. “i see what your soul does whenever you look at her, dad. it’s pretty damn obvious. even frisk knows.”

“Oh, darling, I’m sure _anyone_ who saw the two of them would know. Seeing his soul is just a deal breaker.” Mettaton waves his hand at Sans. “And you know little Frisk is a lot smarter than they look.”

“eh, fair enough.”

“Gaster, love, let’s talk robot to skeleton, shall we?” He gives Gaster his full attention. “If you truly loved her, you would stop torturing yourself this way. Even if the feeling isn’t mutual, you will feel _much_ better if you just tell her.”

 **[It is never that simple, Mettaton,]** Gaster sighs, rubbing his face. **[I…]**

Mettaton sits up more straight. “Oh, here come the excuses! Don’t worry darling, I’m _well_ prepared.” He just smiles at Gaster’s glare.

“should we take eggnog shots at which one is the most cliche?” Sans snickered, grinning at his father. He sits up to bend forward and rest his ulnas on his femurs. “dad, c’mon. what could _possibly_ be stopping you?”

 **[For starters,** **_this,_ ** **]** Gaster gestures to himself. **[I am a** **_skeleton_ ** **, Sans---a monster. She is… she is a human.]**

“There are plenty monster/human relationships, darling.” Mettaton waves his hand, clearly disapproving of the excuse.

“yeah, dad, that _can’t_ be the only thing.”

**[That is not it, I am not bothered by that. I am… bothered by the fact that I… I will outlive her.]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a happy, cute little chapter with an equally happy ending.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> HOLY CRAP THIS HIT 400 KUDOS! _**400 KUDOS!!**_ Omg I'm so honored I honestly never would have thought that I'd hit this many but ooooomg I'm crying you guys are too good to me thank you all so much for being so sweet and amazing.
> 
> ALSO THERE'S A SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE END NOTES!
> 
> For now, just enjoy this super happy chapter with nothing sad going on.

Mettaton and Sans’s grins are quick to fall. “oh…” Is all Sans manages to say. He looks away, scratching at the back of his skull.

“Oh, Gaster, love…” Mettaton’s teasing attitude is gone. He stands so he can walk over and sit by Gaster, placing a hand on his. “You really do know how to make a robot feel like an ass, don’t you?”

Gaster breathlessly chuckles, **[It was not my intention, I apologize.]**

“No, love, no. I should apologize.” Mettaton pats his hand. “I should have _truly_ considered how you felt about this, not tease you.”

“yeah… sorry, dad…” Sans’s grin falls into one of his rare frowns. He runs his fingers along his skull, glancing off to the side, then looks back at him. “but---hey---look… you know human souls live as long as monsters do, sometimes even longer. when she… passes… you can always find her in her next life, yeah?”

 **[Sans… she will have a completely different life, she will be a completely different person,]** Gaster sighs, looking at you. **[As much as I care for her---as much as I… as much as I love her, I…]**

 _I cannot bear to lose another one I love…_ He couldn’t bring himself to say it. An image flashes through his thoughts, his memories, but he’s quick to shove it back down. He holds you closer, brushing your hair from your shoulder.

“and what if she loved you back, huh? d’you ever stop to consider how she feels?” Sans stares long and hard as his father. “why are you so scared to talk to her?” He really wasn’t one to say anything when it came to talking about things, but that’s beside the point.

He watches Gaster shift and fidget, he sees his father’s soul dim. Then something hits him. His sockets widen a bit. “…dad, is this also about…” The harsh stare he receives from Gaster shuts him up right quick. He glances to Mettaton, nodding to the hallway.

“Ah, I see. Skeleton family things. Allow me to give you privacy.” He pats Gaster’s shoulder, then stands and vanishes upstairs. Sans gets up and walks over, plopping down next to his father.

“dad…” He looks at Gaster, who’s looking at you. He watches your shoul shift and shine, your peaceful, happy face. He feels Sans touching his arm and looks at him. Don’t say it, please don’t say it. He doesn’t want to remember, he’s done so well forgetting. “is this… is this also about… mom?”

Gaster feels his chest tightening. He holds you closer, gripping your sweater. No, no, no… he doesn’t want to remember, _he doesn’t want to remember._

Sans grabs at his hand. “dad, _is it?_ ”

When did it get hard to breathe? When did he start shaking---or sweating?

“…dad?”

His hands are shaking so bad. His grip on your sweater tightens. The lights in his sockets disappeared. The air started to grow thick with magic, quietly popping and sizzling.

“dad--- _dad_ . _look at me_.” Sans sits up---he has to get on his knees to reach Gaster’s face---and turns him so he could look at Sans. “dad, breathe. come on, it’s alright---it’s alright.”

He sees… he sees monsters. Humans. All around him. There’s fire and blood and---and dust. So much dust. So much _screaming._ He hears a voice calling to him past the yelling, past the fighting. It’s so quiet, so muffled, he can’t make it out. He moves one foot in front of the other. Step after step, he stumbles towards the voice, towards the figures, towards the red scarf.

When did he start running? The voice is getting louder. Calling to him.

_“Gaster…”_

The figure in the scarf turns. Yellow tears rolled down pale cheekbones that slowly disintegrated into nothing.

_“Gaster…”_

A pile of dust with the red scarf lays at his feet. He falls to his knees, grabbing the scarf and holding it close to his chest. No no no no… it can’t be… not her, not her, _anyone but her._

_“Gaster…!”_

His magic flares, his sockets glow a bright, bright purple. He stares at the human before him, covered in dust---her dust. He lifts his hand.

“Gaster!” He gasps, hands grabbing at a pair of wrists, holding them tighter than a vice. He stares at the blurry face in front of him, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his skull. “Gaster… Gaster, look at me. It’s okay, it’s alright. You’re safe, Gaster, you’re safe. I’m here---Sans is here.” Sans…?

A white blur comes into his vision too---no no no, it’s Sans, his son, _Sans!_ And… and the other face… it… it’s _you_. You’re holding his face, your hands are shaking and there’s tears rolling down your cheeks, but you’re smiling.

“It’s alright, Gaster. You’re safe, you’re _safe._ ” Safe… he’s safe… “Breathe, okay? Breathe with me… inhale---” you inhale “---one, two, three, then exhale, one, two, three---” you exhale. Then you inhale again, and he inhales with you. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

“there you go, dad, you’re doin’ great.” Sans grinned, blue tears staining his bones. “we’re here, dad. it’s alright.” Sans backs off to give him space, but you stay. You keep breathing with him, and he keeps watching you. Watching your face. So worried, yet relieved. You look… like you’re in pain. You’re terrified, you’re shaking so bad beneath him. But you’re trying so hard to hide it behind a smile.

“Is this… is this okay?” You ask. He feels your hands moving from his face. “Is it okay if I…” He can’t find his words, so he just nods. Your hands hold his face again, your thumb gently stroking the crack under his eye. He focuses on you, the feeling of your soft hands, your breathing, your smile.

“This won’t last forever, Gaster. It’s going to pass. And me and Sans will be here. Just keep breathing, keep focusing on me, okay?” He nods. “Okay, good. Do you need anything? Water?” He nods again. “Alright, Sans? Can you get some water?”

“sure thing.” Out of the corner of his socket, he sees Sans staring at something, then he gets up and walks into the kitchen. Gaster looks down. He had been holding your wrists so tightly you were shaking.

Oh---oh no! He immediately lets go, pulling his hands away and holding them close to his chest. He was the reason you were crying. He was the reason you were scared. He scared you---he _hurt_ you. No no no---

“Gaster--- _Gaster_ ,” you say gently, “It’s alright. You didn’t know, you didn’t mean to. It’s okay, I forgive you Gaster. _I forgive you_.” You scoot closer and wrap your arms around him. You bury your face into his shoulder. “You’re safe, we’re safe. I’m here for you. I have you. I’m right here. I won’t leave you.”

His hands are shaking so bad, but he successfully wraps his arms around you, holding you flush against his chest. One hand presses against your back, the other holding your head. He’s here, in the present. He’s not back there, he’s _not_. That time is over. It’s been over for a long, long time. He lowers his head, burying his face into the crook of your neck, a quiet sob leaving him.

“Shhh, shhhhh,” you shush him gently. Your voice trembles, you sound so close to breaking down yourself, but you’re trying. You’re trying so hard to remain calm for him. “It’s alright. I’m here, I’m right here. I have you, Gaster.”

You pet the back of his skull and rub his scapula with as much tenderness as a pair of trembling hands could. “Remember that field of flowers you made for me in my dream one time?” He nods. “Think of that place. All those bright, pretty flowers. We sat there for hours and hours and talked and talked. It was so peaceful, so happy.”

He knows. He remembers. He remembers the look of complete serenity on your face, how your soul glowed so bright. He remembers you sitting close to him, legs draped over his lap, leaning against his chest. He remembers how warm you felt against his bones.

He focuses on you right now. Your tears soaking into his turtleneck, your grip tight, your hands shaking, your voice quivering, but you try so hard to sound calm, to look calm, to _remain_ calm. He feels your soul pulsing, trembling. You’re so scared. Scared for _him_. But you put on such a front to ensure that he’s feeling better.

Gaster starts petting your hair, carefully combing out any new tangles that formed. His breathing evens out, his hands stop shaking so bad, his chest no longer feels tight. His mouth works, **[My darling…]** He feels you stiffen just for a moment in his hold, then relax ten-fold. Your soul no longer trembles and shakes in fear or worry.

Sans---who had been standing there for about a minute now---offered the glass to Gaster, which he gladly took. You pulled away enough for him to gulp down the water and sigh. You look over his face as he hands the cup back to Sans. You wipe his tears away with your sleeve, smiling at him. “Is there anything else you need?”

He shakes his head. He finds his words, **[No… no, thank you, my darling…]**

“Do you…” You stop, then say, “You… you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but… I’m here, okay?”

He nods, leaning forward to rest his forehead against yours. **[Thank you… thank you, my darling…]**

Sans sighs, his smile less forced now. He pours more water into the cup and places it on the coffee table as Mettaton enters the room. Sans meets him halfway and he bends down to whisper, “I made sure no one else will come, darling. The _last_ thing we need is to crowd someone having an episode.”

“yeah. i think everything’s good now, but… thanks.” Sans shoves his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “did they all wake up cuz’ of the ruckus?”

“You’d be surprised how heavy a sleeper some of them can be, darling,” Mettaton chuckles softly, “Papyrus slept through it, as did most of them. The only ones that actually woke to it was the Dreemurr family and Adrian. Undyne nearly did, but she almost always wakes herself up.”

Sans laughs breathlessly, “yeah, she snores so loud she startles herself awake sometimes.” He looks over at Gaster and you.

Within minutes the roles had practically switched. Now Gaster was whispering comforting things to you while you trembled in his hold. Sans doesn’t mean to sound like an ass when he thinks this, but he wouldn’t have really asked you to help calm someone from an attack that bad. You knew what to do, sure, but…

You were terrified, shaking, sobbing when you tried to get Gaster to come to. You did better than Sans expected, which he’s glad about, don’t get him wrong. But now that Gaster’s calm, you’re close to breaking down yourself. He can’t---he won’t bring himself to blame you for being so worried for his father.

Fingers brush against his shoulder. He glances up at Mettaton who murmurs, “I must go recharge now, darling. Wake me if anything is needed, yes?”

“i’ll consider it, but don’t count on it.” Sans grins, looking back at you and Gaster as Mettaton leaves.

You pull back from your hug to look at him. He tenderly cradles your face in his hands, kissing your tear stained cheeks and wiping them away. You lean in to kiss his cheekbones, then pull back again and smile tiredly. “Are you… well enough to sleep?”

His smile tugs and falls into a frown. He strokes your cheeks with his thumbs. **[You should rest, my darling… I am sorry I woke you…]**

“No, no… there’s no need to apologize. I’m just happy I could help you… even if it wasn’t that great.”

 **[Hush, my darling, you were fine. You helped in ways no one else could.]** Gaster leans in and presses his forehead against yours again. **[Please… go back to sleep, my darling. I will be here.]**

You frown, murmuring, “Only if you promise to sleep, too…”

He doesn’t answer immediately, he just watches your face, your soul. He brushes his thumb against your cheek and heaves a sigh. **[I cannot promise I will be able to rest tonight… but I can promise that I will try.]**

“Okay… that’s good enough for me.” You pull away, shift around, and settle yourself in his lap again. You wrap your arms around his ribs, and he drapes his arm over your shoulders. You look at Sans, giving him a tired smile. “You rest too, yeah?”

“heh, yeah, kiddo. i will after i make sure the pops is alright.” He gives you a thumbs up and winks. He pauses, then steps closer and takes your hand, running his thumb along the top of it. “rest well, kiddo.”

“Mmm…” Your eyes close, you relax in Gaster’s hold, and you almost instantly fall asleep.

Sans stands there, watching you sleep, waiting a solid five minutes before he murmurs, “i’m sorry…” He looks up at Gaster. “i… i didn’t mean to---”

Gaster reaches out with his free hand to rest it on Sans’s skull. **[Shh, my son. You did not know.]**

“no---i mean---i _knew_ she---” he stops himself, looking down “---i knew… and i still…” His sockets screw shut and he shakes his head. “i’m sorry, dad. you just wanted to forget and i… i made you remember.”

**[Sans---]**

“pretty hypocritical of me, huh?” He chuckles, wiping his eyes as little blue tears start forming. “makin’ you remember somethin’ bad. meanwhile i’m sittin’ here tryna forget everything… everything that happened underground…”

**[Sans…]**

“all the resets and---”

 **[Sans.]** Gaster’s eyes glow, and a blue aura envelopes around Sans. He’s lifted up and placed onto the couch where he’s pulled into a one armed hug. **[Please, do not torture yourself.]** He gently rubs Sans’s humerus.

 **[It… it hurts to remember, yes… it has been a long, long time…]** Sans scoots closer, leaning against his father, gripping his turtleneck. Gaster places his hand on his son’s skull. **[You asked a simple question without knowing the outcome. It was a mistake. But you apologized for it, and I know you will not try to do it again.]**

“still… ‘m sorry…”

**[I know, my son. I forgive you.]**

Time passes. Neither skeleton says a word. The only sound is your quiet breathing. Sans’s grip on Gaster’s turtleneck tightens. “dad?”

**[Yes, my son?]**

He doesn’t reply at first, and when Gaster looks, he’s staring at you, your soul. He whispers, “i miss mom too… but… this isn’t---it’s not---” he frowns, trying to find the words “---there are… there are other monsters out there in a relationship with a human. they know they’ll outlive their partner, but… they stay together.”

He reaches out and takes your hand. “you’re probably afraid of losin’ her too… right?”

Gaster let’s loose a humorless chuckle, **[Is it that obvious?]**

“yeah.” Sans smiles up at him, then looks back at you. “it’s pretty obvious you care about her---you love her. i understand worryin’ for her and bein’ afraid of losin’ her, but…”

 **[I must trust her, I know. She may be… she may be fragile, but she is old and wise enough to make her own decisions.]** Gaster’s fingers lightly trail along your sleeve. **[I trust her, I do. I just… you know I cannot help but worry.]**

“don’t remind me,” Sans chuckles quietly. “you _freaked_ when paps went ‘missing’.”

**[Am I a bad father for worrying for the safety of my youngest?]**

He has to stop himself from laughing any louder, lest he wants to wake you. “nah. it was just funny seein’ the look on your face when you found him sleepin’ in the laundry basket.”

Gaster chuckles, **[It was rather…** **_humerus._ ** **]**

“tryna tickle my **funny bone** , dad?”

They share smiles. Sans looks at you again. “just so ya know… i’m cool with it. and i know paps is _definitely_ cool with it too.”

**[Ah, yes. Good to know I have both of my son’s approval.]**

He snorts, “seriously, dad… she’s a good human. if you love her, tell her. or you’re gonna regret never tryin’.” He shifts, sliding off the couch and smoothing out his shirt. “it's not---this ain't the past. things are different, better even. don't got as much stuff to worry about.” A quiet laugh leaves him. “got a  _lot_ less to worry 'bout this time 'round.”

Gaster doesn't speak at first. He knows this time around things are better. He got lucky---being brought back to this specific timeline. He's sure he'll never stop being thankful for that. Even so… His sockets close and he sighs. He looks at Sans, whispering,  **[I know. I am grateful for it. I will… think over what you said, my son.]**

Sans's smile grew, the lights in his sockets brightening. “it's all i ask for, dad.” He stretches out, his bones popping in a few places. “alright… i’m gonna head to bed. try ‘n get some sleep too, yeah? and if you need anything, just ask.”

 **[I know. Thank you.]**  Gaster smiles. **[Good** **night, my son. Sleep well.]**

“g’night, dad. you too.” Sans lingers for a moment longer to gaze at you, then he disappears up the stairs.

Gaster leans back against the couch, closing his sockets and sighing. He feels you shift and nuzzle his ribs and he smiles. He lifts his head to look down at you. You look so happy, so peaceful. His smile strengthens. He leans down to kiss your hair, to brush some strands from your face.

_“if you love her, tell her.”_

Maybe one day, he will. Right now… right now sleep sounds great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's official guys, I need a break for a bit. Writing the next chapter is getting harder and harder, and while I got quite a few things planned as well as an ending for this rollarcoaster of a fanfiction, I need......... a break................... just for the time being.
> 
> In the mean time, I might actually start working on my other Gaster/Reader fic---it's gonna be a Mafia AU fic :3c because ya know, I'm a slut for the 1930s. There's such a stark difference between that one and this one, and I've been wanting to get started on it when I got to a certain point in this story. I have a few things written out already, and the first chapter to that should be posted by the end of the week :'D
> 
> So for the time being, this fic will be on hold for... let's give until the end of September. Plenty of time for me to take a breather, write down a few notes for future chapters, and get back into the groove of things for it. Then it'll come back! As always, thank you all so much for taking the time out of your day to read this fic, and I hope you like the others I have planned, too!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Aaaaaand we're back! It feels nice to be back, honestly. Even if writing the end of this chapter was a little hard, I still had fun writing cutesy stuff ;v;
> 
> For now, however, I'm gonna be limiting the chapters to about 2,500 or maybe just a little more so I don't feel too stressed to reach the word limit of like 4,000 words or something.

You’re waking up but you don’t want to. You’re so comfy and warm and your blanket is comfy and warm and smelled really nice. Your eyes peel open and everything’s all blurry and unfocused and _bright_. Too bright. You don’t like it. You shut your eyes tightly and a sharp exhale leaves your nostrils. You shift and nuzzle your face into the warm, nice smelling blanket.

Then the blanket moves and your brain—that’s waking up faster than your body wants to—realizes that it’s not a blanket. The not-blanket has a long thing around you and it moves and pulls you closer to the source of the warmth. It’s so nice and you find yourself hugging the not-blanket and sighing happily. Such a nice not-blanket.

You hear a soft giggle. Your eyes open again, squinting and blinking. You really should rub away the eye boogers, but you don’t want to lose any of the warmth. So instead you blink and blink and things slowly get less blurry, but it’s still too bright, so you have to squint your eyes a lot.

You hear a _shhfff_ and it’s suddenly not so bright. You hear music, a soft guitar playing, and…  something plopping into water? It sounds like someone’s fishing. But that’s silly, you can’t fish inside a house. At least, you’re pretty sure Toriel doesn’t have a fishing pond in her house. You shift and turn your head towards the noise. You see the television and it’s playing that one Dark Cloud game. The character—you remember Frisk saying his name was Max—was fishing. Oh, okay, that explains the music and the sounds now.

Wait… you remember falling asleep in the living room… did no one carry you back to your room?

…

Oh, right.

Last night’s events replay in your mind. Gaster… Gaster looked so upset and scared and _angry_. You’ve never seen anyone—let alone him—look so angry before. You remember the feel of his magic radiating from his very being. You remember how hot to the touch he felt. You remember the air being so thick with that magic that it was sizzling and popping and you remember he was about to use it. You remember him holding you so tightly while you talked to him and it hurt your wrists. But you kept talking to him, despite the pain you felt.

You move your hands a little and feel a slight stinging sensation. Yeah, you definitely remember now. You sigh, willing the memories of last night away. Right now you’re okay with sitting here for a bit longer, inside the warmth that you’re pretty sure is Gaster holding you.

You see Papyrus sitting on the floor with Frisk in his lap, both of them in their pajamas. Papyrus is startlingly quiet as he comments to Frisk about catching the biggest fish they can so they can show it off to everyone. Then you see Mettaton sitting on the loveseat close by, occasionally glancing at the television but mainly paying attention to his phone.

When he thinks no one is looking, his metallic brow would furrow and he would frown, and then he would glance up. He noticed you staring and gives you a reassuring smile, waves his fingers at you, and then looks back at his phone. Must be something about his business putting him in a bit of a sour mood; hopefully it’s nothing too bad.

You look up this time and, lo and behold, there he is. Head hanging down, mouth parted and sockets sut, Gaster slept while holding you close to him. Very close. Much closer than you’d expect, you can practically see littlest of chips in his skull and the dark circles forming under his sockets. How did that even work? You’d have to ask him later.

Oh wow, you really need to stop staring before he wakes up. Then it’ll be _really_ awkward. You turn away and notice a paper slipping and falling off of the blanket draped around the two of you. In crayon is written, _“DO NOT DISTURB!!!”_ with an angry frowny face drawn on it. It brought a smile to your face. Only to fall and your cheeks turn a dark, dark red when you see Frisk and Papyrus staring at you, grinning real wide. And when you looked off to the side, you see Mettaton smiling a knowing smile at you and winking.

“Good morning, human friend!” Papyrus shifts and reaches out to you. You take his hand and he gently squeezes it. You’re glad the sleeves of your sweater are so long so he can’t see the bruises. “And Merry Christmas! I hope you slept well and comfortably. None of us wanted to move you.”

“Mmm, mornin’ Paps,” You say, your voice thick with sleep. “I slept fine, believe it or not. Is everyone else awake?”

“Miss Toriel and Sir Asgore are awake as well as human Nana and Papa. They are outside speaking.”

“And everyone else?”

“Dearest Begonia and Muffet are being _such_ a couple right now and are currently cuddling in bed,” Mettaton comments. “I’m sure they’ll come down soon after hearing you’re awake.”

Frisk waves for your attention so they can sign, ***Mom and Dad said we can’t open presents until everyone’s awake and eats.*** Their lower lip pokes into a pout, but it’s quick to rise into a smile. ***Are you hungry? Nana and Mom made lots of french toast and bacon. No eggs though, they’re not that good when they get cold.***

“And it’s not a good idea to microwave them,” you yawn. Frisk and Papyrus nod in agreement.

“Indeed. It does not taste the same. I could make you the eggs, however, human friend!” Papyrus stands with Frisk easily resting in one arm while he holds his free hand to you. “Come! Breakfast is very important!”

You brush Gaster’s arm from around your shoulder and slip out of his lap, careful not to wake him as you do so. You take Papyrus’s hand, letting him pull you to your feet and follow him into the kitchen. Frisk hops out of Papyrus’s arm and takes your other hand, tugging you over to the table and sitting you down. They sign for you to wait and hurry back to Papyrus’s side.

You watch as they take the offered plate from Papyrus and look at you, asking how many pieces of bacon or toast you want. You tell them, and they place the amount on there. Papyrus asks you how many eggs you want, you tell him, and he makes it. Frisk grabs their own plate of food and hurries over to the table to sit by you.

“Here you are, human friend!” Papyrus places the finished plate in front of you with a fork, knife, and places a bottle of syrup in front of you. “I will go wake my lazybones brother, enjoy your food!”

You grin. “Thanks Paps. Good luck with Sans.”

Once Papyrus left, you and Frisk dig into the food. Oh _man_ , it was so good. Papyrus really knew how to make eggs. And the bacon and french toast were amazing. You and Frisk don’t talk much while you eat, mostly yes or no questions so they wouldn’t have to stop eating all the time to sign.

You had to be careful while you ate, since you didn’t really want syrup or egg yolk all over your sweater, but you also didn’t want Frisk seeing the bruises. Better not to make them worry about you. You take a mental note to get ice for it later tonight, when no one’s paying attention. You can deal with the slight pain. You don’t need to make your friends worry over something so little.

As the both of you finish eating, Adrian lazily saunters into the kitchen. They ruffle Frisk’s hair and gently headbutt you, mumbling something completely incoherent. You’ve known Adrian long enough to know that’s just their way of saying ‘good morning’ however. They make a direct beeline for the coffee machine, opening and closing cabinets to find the one with all the mugs. It’s a cute, funny sight to see a half-asleep monster fumbling around searching for the mugs.

Frisk touches your shoulder. You turn to them and they start signing, ***Here we see the wild Adrian in their natural habitat, desperately searching for sustenance.*** You couldn’t hold back the loud snort even if you tried. Adrian’s ears twitched, and they turned to you. A brow rose as they stared at you with tired, half-lidded eyes.

You and Frisk just smile at them. Clearly too tired to bother dealing with you two at the moment, Adrian turns back around to make their cup of coffee. You turn to Frisk again and point at their plate. “You done, honey?” They nod, pushing it towards you. You take your plates and rinse them off in the sink. Frisk takes your hand when you’re done to drag you back into the living room.

You hear a mechanical whirr and something wrap around your waist. “Pardon, dearest Frisk, but may she sit with me for a moment?” Mettaton smiles at Frisk’s pout, but they let go of your hand. Mettaton’s outstretched arm wrapped around you gently tugged you over to the loveseat. He placed you down next to him and unwrapped the arm around your waist so it could fall over your shoulders and tug you even closer to him.

Despite him not really knowing the meaning of personal space, you didn’t feel all that uncomfortable with him being so… well, handsy. You give him a questioning look, to which he only smiled and looked back at his phone, keeping his arm around your shoulders. Okay then? Did he just want to sit with you? That’s fine, you guess. You shift a bit to get more comfortable.

You watch Frisk play their game while Mettaton taps away at his phone. He had moved his arm some so he could take your hand and lightly stroke the top of it with his thumb. You know, for a robot, he was surprisingly warm. And tingly. Did he have a built in heater or something? Well, he _was_ kinda also made with magic, that’s probably an important part. Either way, you happily welcomed it.

It wasn’t long until Adrian came into the living room, clutching a huge mug of coffee. They seat themselves on the couch behind Frisk and sip at their drink. Papyrus stomped down the stairs with Sans—being nothing more than a dead weight—under his arm. He placed his older brother on the couch right next to Adrian, then disappeared into the kitchen.

Sans’s head slid along the couch until it gently thumped against Adrian’s arm.

“Mmn,” Sans grunts, half-lidded sockets looking at the screen but not really watching.

“Mmmn,” Adrian mumbles back. They sips their coffee, sinking further into the couch and bringing their legs up to their chest. You smile at their way of saying good morning to each other. From the corner of your eye, you see Mettaton smile and shake his head.

Papyrus returned with a cup of coffee and paused a moment to nuzzle his teeth against Mettaton’s cheek, then hands the cup to Sans. He plops back down on the floor and allows Frisk to crawl into his lap.

None of you really talk, you all just sit there, watching Frisk play their game. In time, Begonia and Muffet come down to take half of the empty couch and snuggle underneath a large comforter. Yellow petals fall from Begonia’s head as Muffet gives her loving kisses on the cheek. And then Undyne and Alphys revealed themselves. They took the other half of the couch Begonia and Muffet were sitting on, and they all mumble their good morning’s to each other.

Frisk had just beaten another level when Gaster finally woke. His sockets opened, his head lifted, and he yawned. You couldn’t help but stare at his mouth as he did. Anything behind his teeth was nothing more than gaping blackness, just like Sans and Papyrus. You noticed fangs along the back of his mouth too.

Well, that’s something you didn’t notice before. Neither did you notice how _adorable_ he looked when he’s just waking up. He didn’t have the upright, proper posture he usually had. He slouched against the couch, just like Sans, and rubbed at his sockets.

He didn’t even seem to register that everyone else was there until he started searching for something. His eye-lights honed on you, and you smile. He lazily blinks, but smiles back and nods to you.

At the same time, Toriel, Asgore, and your grandparents came in.

“Ah, it looks like everyone’s finally awake!” Bertha claps her hands, smiling widely at everyone.

“Physically, sure,” Adrian comments, “mentally? I need like… three more hours.”

“Oh, hush you.” She baps them on the head. “Now that everyone’s awake, I’m sure you’re all very eager to open your presents, no?” She grins at the way Adrian’s ears twitch upwards.

“YES!” Papyrus and Frisk visibly perk up. “YES, YES! WE ARE VERY READY HUMAN NANA!”

Toriel laughs, “I thank you for your patience, my friends. I only ask for a little bit more for everyone to be _fully_ awake before we start. And on that note—” she turns to Gaster “—would you like some coffee or tea, my friend?”

Gaster yawns again, **[I can get myself coffee, my lady. Do not worry.]**

Toriel rolls her eyes. “You will relax and I shall get you a cup, do you understand?”

 **[Yes, my lady.]** Oh wow, it was too good to see Gaster shrinking under Toriel’s scolding glare. You couldn’t help but snicker at the sight. You did _not_ envy him at all. Gaster looks at you and all you do is smile. He looks displeased for just a moment, but you notice the corners of his mouth twitching into a tiny grin as well and a hint of purple appears on his cheekbones.

Asgore takes a seat by Gaster and pats his hand, murmuring something to him. They share a quiet conversation with each other while Toriel heads into the kitchen. Adrian and Sans get up to sit on the floor so your grandparents can sit on the couch. It doesn’t take long for everyone (Gaster) to wake up, really. Within minutes everyone (Gaster) is wide awake and both Papyrus and Frisk are both trying very hard to contain their excitement.

Finally, Toriel claps her paws together. “Alright, everyone, let us begin opening presents!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter there will be more cutes! And presents!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> *falls over* Holy shit so much has happened and just hhhh I'm trash
> 
> So I've been dealing with just... a lot of emotional baggage and have had motivation troubles due to acquiring my first job and getting used to the schedule and just focusing on that for a while shot my motivation into the mud, but it's slowly coming back!  
> Slowly  
> *sob*  
> Writing this chapter was hard, then easy, then hard again and to be honest I'm kinda glad to have this one out of the way. I think the reason why my motivation got shot was because this chapter was really just... too hard for me to get out and put into words. But the next couple ones will (hopefully) be a bit easier.

The moment Toriel said, ‘opening presents’, Frisk and Papyrus are at attention, scrambling over to the tree and eagerly sitting in front of it. They both stare at the presents, then at Toriel, eyes glimmering and shining.

You feel Mettaton pat your arm, and as you look at him he nods over to Gaster, then pats your back. He leans closer to whisper into your ear, “I believe someone’s getting rather jealous, darling.” You look over at Gaster and, well, he’s about as fidgety as he usually is. He’s trying _very_ hard not to stare too hard at you and Mettaton, but the moment you two make eye contact his fidgeting gets worse and he quickly looks away.

You smile and whisper back to Mettaton, “I think so. Mind if I go sit with him?”

“Of course, love. Go on now.” Again, he pats your back and you get up to sit by Gaster. He quickly shifts to the side for you to have more sitting room and offers his arm to you. You happily welcome his warmth, shifting and scooting until you’re leaning against him, his arm draped over your shoulders with your legs over his lap. He takes your hand and you instinctively lace them together as best you can in this position.

Presents are starting to be opened. First came Frisk and Papyrus’s—who got a _lot_ —and then everyone else. You’re much too busy staring at the own gifts you’ve wrapped up for your monster friends. You pulled your hand free from Gaster’s only to start fidgeting madly with his hand, feeling the indents in each digit, trailing your finger around the circle in his hand. You can’t help it. Your mind is wandering too far for you to really focus that hard on what you were doing.

You’re really, truly hoping they like their presents. And even with you barely knowing the Dreemurr family, you feel like you should’ve gotten them something too. Not to mention you never even thought about Gaster’s gift. You don’t really have long to think about it until you feel Gaster squeeze your hand.

He murmurs to you, **[Is something wrong, my darling? You are frowning an awful lot.]**

“Mm,” you mumble, watching Sans hand Toriel a haphazardly wrapped gift. You rest your head against Gaster’s shoulder, your own slumping some. “I didn’t get them a gift. Or you one for that matter.”

Gaster blinks, then he chuckles. He chuckles! **[Is that it, my darling? They will understand, do not worry. As for my gift…]** He hugs you closer. **[Returning me to my family is the greatest gift you could have ever possibly given me, my darling.]** He looks like he wants to say more, but doesn’t.

His words make you smile a little and you look up at him. He bumps his forehead against yours. “Thanks Gaster. You always know what to say, don’t you?”

 **[I have my moments.]** You two exchange another smile and you rest your head against his shoulder once more. Now it was time for your gifts you got for everyone. Clearly, some of them didn’t wholeheartedly approve.

“kiddo, you didn’t have to get us anything,” Sans chuckles, rubbing at his skull.

“RETURNING OUR FATHER IS ENOUGH! HE IS A GREAT GIFT EVEN IF HE DIDN’T COME WITH A BOW!” Papyrus went as far as to push the wrapped gift away from him, crossing his bony arms and staring hard at you.

“I can fix that.” Without missing a single beat, Adrian took a stray bow sticker and bopped it right onto Gaster’s head. You couldn’t hold back the loud, unattractive snicker if you tried. Thankfully you weren’t the only one who snorted at the sight.

“Now _that_ is going on UnderNet.” Begonia whips out her phone and takes a picture. One full second later, the phone is enveloped in purple magic and yanked out of her hands, flying over to Gaster.

 **[It most certainly** **_is not_ ** **,]** He huffs, hastily deleting the photo.

“Awww, but Gaster dearie, it’s adorable!” Muffet giggles.

 **[I do not see how putting a bow on me, a full grown skeleton monster, makes me instantly cute.]** His cheekbones turn a dark purple.

“not sure what’s so **purple-exing,** dad.” A big, mischievous grin curls on Sans’s face. “it’s **cyantifically** proven that putting a bow on anything makes it automatically cute.” Groans and chuckles echo throughout the living room.

“Now, now, young’n’s,” Alfred says, “not that I hate these **orangeinal** jokes, how’s about we open the last few presents, yeah?”

It’s your turn to groan, but you’re smiling too big to put any effort into it. “Papaaaa, that was so bad.”

“Not my fault I **blue** you away with it.”

“Papa!” You see Sans’s sockets twinkle and send a wink over to your grandfather. Once everyone’s sobered up, the presents you got your friends are opened one by one. Begonia’s face visibly lights up and numerous yellow flowers sprout and fall from her head. You and her meet eyes. She looks at the CD cases, then back at you and smiles, giving a single nod. Words weren’t needed to express how happy she was to have those.

“Oh my god!” Adrian’s fluff poofed up and they jumped to their feet. “Are you serious?! I was just about to buy these! Giiiiirrrll!!” They practically jump into Gaster’s lap to give you hugs and kisses on your cheeks. They send a quick wink to Gaster and hop to their feet again. “You guys were never hear from me again because I’m going to be playing and re-playing and re-re-playing these games for the next forever. Oh man, thanks, girl, this is awesome!”

“Ohhhh, dearie~!” Muffet hugs the books close to her chest. “These are _perfect_ inspiration for my pastries and treats, thank you so much!”

Undyne holds up her weights and Alphys lets out a little squeal at her figurines. “This is awesome! I’ve been wanting something like this for a while!”

“I th—thought you cuh—could only g—get these for a l—limited time only! H—H—Huh— _How_ did y—you get these?”

“I have my ways.” You shrug with a smile. And by that, you mean you spent hours searching for a reliable website and seller that could get those to you in a decent amount of time, but that’s beside the point.

Papyrus opens his gift and looks over the sewing kit. “HUMAN FRIEND, IS THIS…?”

“You talked about wanting to learn how to make your own clothes, so I figured a beginner’s kit would be a good place to start.”

“WOWIE! I LOVE IT! METTATON, METTATON LOOK!” He shows it off to the robot. “SOON I’LL BE ABLE TO MAKE YOU ALL THE COOL CLOTHES!”

“Papyrus the professional cook _and_ seamster.” Mettaton chuckles, brushing some hair from his face. “I can’t wait to see the lovely clothes you make for me, darling.” He looks to you, nodding in approval.

You look at Sans as he looks over the book on astronomy. His smile is gentle, genuine, his bony fingers running over the hard cover. He glances to you and nods in thanks. You shift a bit. “That’s not all for you, Sans. The second part of your present is further under the tree.”

“ah kiddo, come on.” Sans peeks under the tree and pulls it out. He looks at you, his grin faltering a bit, then back at the wrapped gift. He starts opening it. “you didn’t… have… to…” He couldn’t even finish his sentence. Once the box was open, all he could do was stare. Everyone stared. They stared at the telescope, then at Sans. His smile completely fell, his sockets wide. He touches the telescope, then slowly his frown turns into a big grin. He looks at you and you’re sure that if his smile could get any bigger it would.

“I noticed you looking at the stars and… well, I took a gamble.” You shrug again and smile. Gaster lets out a quiet snicker and squeezes your hand. Sans glances to his father, huffing a laugh and then looks to the telescope again.

“i’ll break this baby in later tonight. thanks… thanks again, kiddo.”

“You’re welcome, Sans.” You look around. “So… lunch time, yeah?”

“Ah, ah, ah!” Adrian wags their finger at you. “You forget, there’s one more person here who got presents!”

You blink.

“You, dummy.” Begonia throws a pillow at you, one that Gaster easily catches and places it next to the two of you.

“Oh! Oh…” Your shoulders hunch up and your cheeks turn red. “Well, I mean, I didn’t really need or want anything—”

“Nah, you ain’t pullin’ that crap on us.” Undyne, much quicker, manages to throw her own pillow and land the hit. You just take it and hug it close, using it to hide your pout. “We got you presents and you're gonna deal with it.”

“Fiiiine…”

Papyrus goes first. He comes closer and pulls out a scarf, seemingly from nowhere, and wraps it around your neck. It looks almost exactly like his, but less tattered and worn, and it’s in your favorite color, not red.

“I MADE THIS FOR YOU, HUMAN FRIEND! TO HELP KEEP YOU WARM IN THE COLD.” He fidgets, fixing the scarf a bit and making sure it’s snug. “IT’S BEEN GETTING COLDER, I DO NOT WISH FOR YOU TO CATCH A COLD.”

The scarf itself is a lot softer than you thought it would have been at first glance. There’s a warmth to it that you didn’t expect, and it smells like… Sans and Papyrus’s home. You like it—no, you love it. You sink into the scarf.

“Thank you, Papyrus.” You smile up at him. “It’s perfect. I’ll be sure to always wear it when it’s cold out.”

His face brightens up and he gently bonks his head against yours. He sits back down, then Alphys hands Undyne a wrapped gift, who then hands it to you.

You open it, handing the wrapping paper scraps to Gaster and look at your gift. Two extremely fancy and expensive looking notebooks now sat in your lap. You open it up and look over the paper, running your fingers along it. The quality of the paper is… just how you like it. You look over at Undyne and Alphys.

“Well—I mean… you like writing and stuff, so we thought you’d like them…” Undyne scratches a bit at her gills. You’ve never seen her so flustered, it’s kinda cute. “You… you like ‘em, right? It took us _forever_ to make sure the paper quality was right.”

“They’re perfect, Undyne. Thank you.” You smile at Alphys. “Thank you.”

“My turn!” Begonia hands you a little wrapped up box. Inside are plastic ink bottles, much to your confusion. You look at Begonia with a questioning look, but she doesn’t answer. Adrian gives you… pen nibs? You’re even more confused now! And when you question them they don’t answer either. And then Muffet gives you another notebook, saying it’s for something special. Once again, you question, but she doesn’t answer.

Finally, your grandparents give you a wrapped up gift and you carefully open it. It’s a beautifully carved case, and inside… is a calligraphy set. There’s three stunning and extremely expensive looking pens inside, with two glass inkwells and extra nibs, different from the ones Adrian got you.

“Believe it or not, we were having trouble trying to think of what to get you, Honeysuckle,” Begonia laughs, “Then I remembered you mentioning how you wanted to learn to write in calligraphy.”

You stare at her, blinking, “That… that was _years_ ago, back—” you pause for a second to think “—back when I… when I first met you and Adrian.”

Adrian chuckles. “You think almost three years is enough for us to forget? Us monsters got a real good memory, girl.” They sit beside you, their knees close to their chest. “We talked to Grams and Gramps about it, Beggy and Muffet agreed that we’d all pitch in and get the stuff for ya. Undyne and Alphys givin’ ya the notebooks is just a plus.” They wink over at the couple.

“How—How much did all of this—” You’re interrupted by Adrian putting their hand on your face.

“Nope. We don’t ask how much presents cost on Christmas. Or ever.” They pull their hand away, then lean close to nuzzle your cheek. They murmur so quietly only you can hear, “You deserve to be happy, girl.”

You smile so wide it hurts and throw your arms around Adrian’s shoulders. “Thank you.” You pull back and grin at your friends, your grandparents. “Thanks so much, guys. I… I’ll start using these right away.”

“heh, well, now i feel like mine won’t really amount to the other presents you got, but ya know.” Sans chuckled, rubbing the back of his skull. Under his arm you see a haphazardly wrapped gift. He looks at you, almost apologetically.

“Sans, no matter what it is, you know I’ll love it.” You finally pull yourself away from Adrian and Gaster, sitting beside Sans on the floor. You both share a little smile, and he hands you the gift. It’s rectangular, and a little thick. You slowly unwrap the gift, your eyes squinting a bit. You figure it’s a book, from the shape and everything, but looks can be deceiving.

If it’s that stupid joke book and a quantum physics book inside a joke book shit, you’ll hit him with it.

You pull away the wrapper and look over the book, staring long and hard at the cover. It’s… the most recent book to your favorite series. “Sans… how did you get this? It’s not even supposed to be available here yet!”

Sans chuckles, “heh, i got my ways kiddo.” His fingers twitch and touch yours. “so… you like it?”

“Of course, you dumb bag of bones!” You pull Sans into a tight hug and press a kiss to the top of his skull. “I can’t wait to start reading, thank you, Sans.”

Blue painted across his cheekbones and he gives you a nuzzle. “hey, thank _you_ , kiddo.” You pull back and he pinches your cheek. “merry christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we're gonna see our favorite fire monster again.  
> Because we don't see him enough and I love him and miss him *cries*


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This chapter was fun. I love Grillby. I've always seen him as a father or uncle figure more than anything, and I wanted him to be that figure in Reader's life. But it'd feel weird if they were suddenly best friends when, in reality, they haven't talked too much. So this chapter was that relationship starting!

Winter break has ended. Spring classes have begun. ‘Spring’ being more of a ‘winter going into spring’ kind of thing, really. It was still cold as hell outside and you’ve never been happier to have the scarf Papyrus gave you. It seems the closer it gets to Spring the colder and windier it gets. But you didn’t care. Way too many good things have happened for you to feel terrible or extremely stressed.

New Year’s week was spent helping Gaster move what little things he had left into your grandparents house. Sans and Papyrus offered to help carry some of the notes, also Adrian and Begonia refused to take no for an answer from you when they said they’d come with you to the Underground.

Considering what happened the last time you went down there? You don’t blame them. 

The trip to Gaster’s lab was quick, thankfully. You all talked and planned and managed to not be  _ too _ tense while you were down there. You always had at least one monster by your side the entire time, the five of them practically tag-teaming with you as their charge.

Either way, you guys managed to get all of Gaster’s things organized and transported to his new room in the house, and it’ll take him some time to get used to it, but you know he’ll manage. Your grandparents love him, he adores them, and you know that he’ll help them in any way he can to repay them for their kindness.

You spent New Year’s with your grandparents and the skeleton family, making a huge dinner that’s way too much for all of you and watching the ball drop. As soon as it did, Gaster stole a kiss on your cheek. You stole a kiss on his.

After that, once the semester started, you go back to class, to work, to your… semi-normal life. There were moments you felt more empty than before, and not in the best of ways either; some things felt harder, you felt more emotionally tired, and a lot of monsters stared at you more often, but you kept going. It’s only been a week since the semester started, but you keep going. You try to keep yourself, your mind busy, arguing that you have too much to do to worry about that. But you still take your daily medicine, per Toriel’s orders.

You rub your face, stepping out of your classroom and heading for your dorm. You don’t have much to do, but you’d like to get started on ideas for certain future projects for your classes. Well, you were going to, but a student—you recognize their face, they’re in your painting class, but you don’t remember their name, sadly—approaches you. Half their head is shaved, the other half draping over the left side of their face, the tips of their hair dyed a bright pink.

“Hey, so, there’s a fire… monster… guy… looking for you?” They brush some stray hair from their face. “He was in the art building and I saw him asking Matt about you. Didn’t seem urgent, but I just wanted to let you know.”

“Fire monster? Oh! That’s Grillby, he’s a friend of mine. Or, well, more like a friend of my friend?” You shrug a bit. Sadly, you haven’t talked that much to Grillby, which honestly just made it more confusing as to why he was looking for you. “Is he still in the art building?”

“Nah, Matt pointed him to the main building, you should be able to catch him.” They point their thumb behind them.

“Thanks for the info.” You wave goodbye and head over to the main building on campus. It doesn’t take long to find Grillby, it’s not really hard to find a man made of  _ fire _ . He’s just about to enter the building when he spots you and waves, quickly making a bee-line for you. You meet him halfway, and before you know it all the cold immediately leaves your system as Grillby pulls you into an embrace.

He pulls back, he pats your arm, and offers his own to you, which you take. He fingerspells quickly and expertly to you,  ***Are you busy?***

“No, why?”

* **Walk with me?***

“Uh, sure. Is something up?” He shakes his head. “Wanna find a private spot?” He nods and gestures with his free hand down the road. 

***My home, if you don’t mind.***

“Um… okay? Lead the way?” You walk with him off campus, arm in arm, and feeling significantly warmer than you did before. Grillby didn’t say—or sign—much, and you kind of enjoyed the comfortable silence between the two of you. Despite the small twinge of nervousness you felt following him to his home.

You walked with him all the way to his restaurant, and past it to an apartment complex. He guided you up to the fourth floor and let you step inside first. A simple, but nice apartment. Looks like he was still trying to take down Christmas decorations and stopped halfway through. Probably because of work.

Grillby shuts the door and removes his coat. He hangs it up, and holds his hand out to you. “Oh!” You remove your own jacket and give it to him to hang up. You keep your scarf on though. It’s so comfortable and you feel safe and happy when you wear it.

Grillby pinches his index finger and thumb together, making a dipping motion into an imaginary cup,  ***Tea? Or Coffee?***

“Coffee, please.”

***Sit, get comfy. You’re not in trouble.***

“Ah, is it that obvious?” You both chuckle and you sit on the couch as he walks into the kitchen. You wait only a few minutes, taking that time to look about the apartment and admiring the cute little pictures he had pinned up. Most likely from his grandchild, you guess.

On the end table next to the couch is a photo of Grillby with three other fire monsters. One is shorter and green, the other a more blueish color, and a tiny one that’s a beautiful cyan. The smaller one sat in the green elementals arms, and she and the other stood on either side of Grillby with his hands on their shoulders.

A cup of coffee is placed down in front of you, with creamer and sugar next to it. You look up at Grillby as he signs,  ***I don’t know how much creamer or sugar you wanted.*** He pauses to look at the photo.  ***My daughter is the green one. Her wife and child are the other two.***

“Are they happy together?” You pour in cream and sugar, mix it, and Grillby nods.

***Very.*** He takes the cream and sugar back to the kitchen, then sides beside you.

You might as well just put it out there now. “Not that I don’t appreciate this, Grillby, but…” You sip your coffee, looking at him. He’s staring at the Christmas tree. “And it’s not because I don’t want to be friends with you, I do! But…” You pause, looking at the mug. It looks expertly made and has beautiful decorations on it. Finally, you look at Grillby. “Is something wrong? I mean, we never talked much, and now suddenly you wanna hang out at your place over coffee? I’m not that dumb.”

Grillby chuckles.  ***It’s that obvious, is it? Sorry. It’s just—though we haven’t interacted much, I know how much Sans and Papyrus care about you.*** He finally faces you.  ***Don’t tell Sans I told you this, but he worries about you, for many different reasons. I do too. Us monsters, we care for others, even those we don’t know that well.***

You feel the dots slowly beginning to connect the longer you look at his featureless face. “But this isn’t just about Sans… is it?” His head lowers. “Grillby, is this—is this about Gaster?”

Grillby lifts his head again to look at you, he reaches out and touches your cheek. You didn’t need to see any features on his face to know he looked worried, sad, hesitant. His hand lowers, his fingertips touching your sternum. He pulls away and signs,  ***How do you feel?***

You put your hand over your chest now. “I feel… as well as I possibly can, considering the circumstances.” Grillby nods, gesturing for you to continue. “It’s almost the same thing as before, really. Just… an emptiness, except it’s more prominent now—” you shrug “—I’ve come to terms with it since after Christmas. I don’t mind having a part gone, as long as Gaster’s here.”

Grillby, patient and nodding the entire time, asks,  ***How long have you known Gaster?***

“Almost a year now? We’ve been talking ever since we met.” You look over Grillby’s ‘face’. “How long have _ you _ known him?” You finish your coffee and just start fidgeting with the mug. “When you came to drop off presents for Frisk… I remember seeing you hesitate when you saw him. Are you friends?”

He lowers his head and nods.  ***Yes. We grew up together, though he was older than me. We learned sign language together. I taught him how to cook after…*** He stops. He doesn’t need to finish for you to know what he meant. He takes a moment to himself, then continues signing,  ***He tutored my daughter. We spent much time together. When he** **_had_ ** **time to spare after he became the Royal Scientist, at least.*** He looks at you.  ***He cares very much about you, you know. So do a great many people.***

You sigh, “I  _ know _ . And what I did was stupid and dangerous and I could’ve died and—” Grillby puts a hand on your shoulder and a finger over where his lips would be.

***I didn’t mean it like that. Sorry.*** He pats your shoulder.  ***I meant for it to mean that I feel a loneliness come from you sometimes, even when you’re with friends. You doubt yourself, you think that they’re faking liking you.***

It’s your turn not to look at him. “Do all monsters just  _ know _ everything about humans?”

Grillby taps your hand, and when you don’t turn your gaze to him immediately, he reaches around to touch your cheek. Gentle enough so you can pull away if you want, but you don’t. You let him turn your head and lift your chin.

***I’m a bartender, it’s my job to understand my customers.*** The little quip made you crack a small smile.  ***Especially those I care about. I would like to become closer friends with you. And I want you to know that the friends you have now—they love you very much.*** He pats your shoulder.  ***I know most days it won’t feel like it, and that even when you know, the little voice in your head will say, ‘but what if?’, that’s just a sign to keep fighting.***

The corner of your lips raise into a smile. “Thanks Grillby.” You scoot closer and hug him, which he happily returns. You relish in the warmth he emits, the warmth that grows inside you as he places a hand on your head. You almost immediately missing it when you both pull away. 

Grillby tussles your hair a bit, his featureless face brightening some.  ***Would you like to tell me about your holiday? I’d love to hear it***

Your own face brightens. “I’d love do. But only if you tell me about yours as well.”

***Deal.***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna have a shit tone of Gaster/Reader fluff and some Gaster and Grillby talkin', so be ready


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> This chapter took longer than childbirth to finish.  
> But hey that's just how the cookie crumbles.  
> God I'm so tired.

If Gaster met himself several hundred years ago and told him that he’d be trapped in a timeless void for so long he’ll quite literally lose track of time, only to be rescued by a college student with many health issues, he’d most likely laugh. No, he’d most definitely laugh. And immediately start questioning about time-travel. Gaster knows himself too well to be surprised at that.

He’s been free from the void for only a week or two now and he  _ still _ can’t believe it. There are moments he needs to remind himself that he is once again tangible and therefor can't walk through walls anymore. There have been one too many moments where he’s forgotten.

Not to mention it's… quiet. Almost eerily so. The void had many things and it didn't lack in noises from the other time lines and universes. Now that he's here, solid, existing, he can no longer hear or see the other timelines. It's strange. Nice, but strange.

He continues to think—and will  _ always  _ think—about your sacrifice. He's returned, yes, but at the cost of a piece of your already hurting soul. Something he’s not sure he’ll ever be okay with. You could’ve died, you would’ve never been the same if you survived. Hell, you never  _ will _ be the same now. But you still go. Still you live. And each day Gaster sees you continuing to live and try and fight, he can’t help but fall a little harder.

As if he hasn't fallen hard enough already. You consume his thoughts most days and others he's able to actually work. Naturally, he worries for you. Losing a part of your soul is a heavy burden to bear.

But now he thinks of many other things. Like holding your hand. And maybe you. And kissing more than just your head. Like your lips—by the stars above he's fallen too deep into the rabbit hole there's no hope for him. And the fact that his  _ wonderful and amazing sons that he loves dearly _ continue to tease him in their own ways does not help at all.

Gaster sighs for at least the hundredth time this hour. There's no way he'll get any work or organizing done with his thoughts so consumed. Perhaps he should go for a stroll. To your campus. To say hi. That's all. Definitely not because he wanted to just be in your general presence. Nope.

And so Gaster gets up and takes a shortcut to your college. He knows of a nice little area that's generally unpopulated so he can pop there without startling the entire campus. He dusts off his coat and begins the search for you. He wasn’t exactly sure  _ where _ you would be, but you constantly spoke of the art building and your classes there, so surely you would be there.

Many, many students stared at him, and he couldn’t really blame any of them. It’s not like there are as many skeleton monsters out there. Not anymore, anyway. So he bears it. It’s rather adorable, actually, most of the humans stare with more curiosity than anything. Some even approached him to ask about how he was held together, to introduce themselves, to welcome him as a new student.

Yes, things were much better this time around.

As much as he would’ve loved to start his own little lesson in the middle of a campus, he had to politely excuse himself and continue his search for you. In hindsight, it wasn’t really hard to find you. He could feel you, your soul, unconsciously reaching out to him, almost calling for him. He followed that feeling, wondering if you knew you were doing that. He wondered many things about you, but never dared ask them out loud in fear of ruining the friendship you two had.

In the end, Gaster found you sitting outside, sketchbook in lap, looking very focused. Sometimes you’d pause to look up, then look back down at your sketchbook. A few students would pause to watch you draw for just a moment, then leave you be. He came closer, pretty much looming over you as he watched you draw. You really did draw well. Though there were some things here and there that could use improvement, the entire piece in itself, though it was still a work in progress, was beautiful.

Gaster knelt down and hesitated to touch you. You were so focused, he didn’t wish to interrupt. So when you paused to stretch and flex your wrist, he touched your shoulder. You jumped a little in surprise and turned, blinking up at him. Oh, how you soul swelled and brightened up in joy when you realized it was him. It made him wonder how you saw him. If you liked him the way he did you.

But he could never ask. It wasn’t his place.

“Hey, Gaster. You finished that project?” You asked, patting the spot next to you. Gaster happily sat.

**[Not yet, unfortunately. Too much on my mind.]** His hand idly plucks at the grass beneath him, and he decides to be brave and touch your hand. Barely. Just barely. He inches closer, closer, closer still, until his hand is on yours. He closes his fingers around your hand, and you smile. Your fingers brush against his, clutching at his fingers. 

He wondered what you thought about his hands, his bones. You would feel them a lot, tace the circles in his hands, play with his fingers, yes, but what did you think? So many questions he was too afraid to ask.

“That’s unfortunate. But better than racking your brain trying to think of something,” you say, “Do you wanna walk around campus with me, then? I haven’t officially shown you all of it yet.”

The lights in his eyes brightened.  **[I would love to.]** He’s already seen most of the campus back when he had no body, but he could never turn down an official tour from you. You pull her hand away, to his disappointment, to put your things back into your bag.

You stand and smile. “Let me drop off my bag first, then we can start. I don’t have anymore classes for today or any assignments due tomorrow so we have plenty of time to explore.” Hearing that made him all the more eager to get started. He pushed himself to his feet as well and followed you to your dorm, needing to duck down so he wouldn’t bonk his head on the frame.

Once your things are put away, you hold your hand out to him, which he is all too happy to take. You start leading him around campus, certain places you know like the back of your hand, others are a bit more difficult. You show him the art building first, showing off a few art rooms that were empty and showing off some of the artwork the students made.

You showed him the main building, where other classrooms, counselors, general help, and the campus store was. The store included a coffee shop as well, and the workers there knew you all too well about what kind of coffee you wanted every time you walked in. They lightly teased about how you weren’t here for coffee today and how much of a shocker that was, and kindly introduced themselves to Gaster. They were very sweet, bless their souls.

As you two walked hand in hand, there were plenty of people that stared. You were of average height, of course, standing at a solid five foot seven. But Gaster? He was one of the taller monsters that roamed the campus as well, standing at a good seven feet. But Gaster was positive that wasn’t the main reason people stared.

He was a skeleton monster. There was only three left in existence. It’s not uncommon for humans, and even some monsters, to stare.

He knew the other reason why the monsters stared, however. They could sense it, smell it, even hear it. Your hurt, tattered soul. And then his, more powerful than ever, a bright purple with hints of red. It wasn’t hard for the other monsters to connect the dots.

But he kept walking, listening, watching you, you, you. That’s all that he focused on, that’s all he cared about at the moment. You looked so tired, yet so full of life. He hoped you were sleeping well. And  _ not _ pulling more all nighters. He took a mental note to check up on you a bit more regularly to ensure you were sleeping.

That was for later, though. Now, all that mattered was being here with you. You took him to the science building, a place he was much too happy to explore. He remembered doing so before, but being here—actually  _ here _ —made it all the better. You didn’t go into any rooms that had classes going on or where the door was locked, and Gaster admired the equipment they had. The lights in his sockets shined so bright. He didn’t even notice you smiling and staring at him for longer than necessary.

The last place you showed him was the library. And the two of you were there for the rest of the day. Gaster ready so many books, finishing one after another at speeds that amazed some passersby’s and even you. Sometimes he would offer to read to you, and you’d be more than happy to listen. He knew you didn’t understand most of what he read, but you would ask questions about the things you didn’t know and he was more than happy to answer.

By the end of the day, you checked out several books for Gaster to read, and head back to your dorm. He lingers by your bed, sitting on the edge and reading a quantum physics book very intently while you browsed your laptop. Within the hour, you hopped onto your bed and leaned against him.

“Gaster?” You ask, looking at the book he read. He paused to glance down at you.

**[Yes, my darling?]**

You look up at him and his soul flutters when you ask, “Will you read to me?”

**[Yes. Yes, of course.]** The two of you shift around so you’re both laying on the bed, sitting close together. You wrap your arms around him, shifting closer still, and he wraps an arm around you. He summons a pair of hands to hold up the book and turn the pages when needed, while his free hand would hold yours.

He read the book aloud, pausing to answer your questions or admire a new idea that popped into his head. And by the time the oranges and reds of the sunset vanish, by the time he’s always done with the book, you fell asleep. Gaster carefully peeled himself free from your grasp and tucked you in. He plugged your phone into its charger, he brushed your hair from your face, and leaned down, pecking your cheek.

Once he finishes gathering the books you got him, he takes one last moment to watch you sleep, then he vanishes.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Look a chapter that didn't take 20 years to finish holy shit

Spring break began for your school. You spent the majority of your break being tossed around by your friends. You hung out with Begonia, watched Adrian play their games, taste-tested some of Muffet’s new recipes. You watched Undyne and Papyrus cook together, which was an event in itself.

You spent time with the Dreemurr family, who were very sweet and Frisk was adorable, practically adopting you as their older sister. Asgore and Toriel treated you like the daughter too, so you guess you were now pretty much adopted into the family. Not that you really minded. They were the family you always wanted, you always wished for. They would often check on you, invite you and your grandparents for dinner or even visit your home for some time. Your grandparents _loved_ the Dreemurr family, too. They loved all your new friends.

You visited Grillby often, too. Sometimes at his work, sometimes at his place. He would often make you tea or a snack and ask you about how life’s been. Grillby’s a great listener. You’ve told him about things you haven’t told anyone in… a few years, actually. The only other person that knows about a few certain subjects is Begonia and Adrian. But there was just something about Grillby that made you so comfortable around him, that made you just want to tell him about things that bothered you. And he promised not to tell anyone else. Something you’re _very_ grateful for.

You still remember telling him the story about why you moved in with your grandparents. What happened. How it happened. Who was involved. And, of course, how you were very close to… well, doing something incredibly stupid. If it weren’t for Begonia and Adrian being there for you, you were pretty sure something very different and very bad would’ve happened instead. Telling the story was hard. You’re pretty sure you cried and sobbed more than you talked, but Grillby was patient. He would rub your back or offer to hold your hand or your shoulder or simply embrace you.

It helped keep you grounded as you revisted those memories that hurt so, so bad. But when you finished the story, you remember feeling so much better getting it off your chest. It still hurt, but not as much. You’re so grateful Grillby was patient and quiet through the entire ordeal.

Grillby was glad you never noticed just how _angry_ he was when you finished your story.

Sans and Papyrus often visited you or had you visit them. More often than not Gaster would be there too to visit his sons as well. You loved spending time with them. The brothers were sweet, and great cuddle buddies too. Papyrus taught you a few tips about cooking quick, simple, easy things. Sans tells you about some of the constellations he’s found with his new telescope. Both brothers were so intelligent in their own ways and you learned a lot from the both of them.

And Gaster… well, you spent _a lot_ of time with Gaster. More often than not you’d spend your free time in the library with him, listening to him read book after book. You slowly but surely learned more about physics and science and actually _enjoying_ learning it. Whether it was because it was Gaster telling you this, or because he actually made it sound fun, you didn’t know. Either way, you just enjoyed his company.

You started to wonder… you couldn’t really help it, honestly, but you did. You wondered about your feelings for him. You liked him, sure, but as a friend. Maybe. You don’t know. More often than not you’d catch Gaster staring at you, smiling, something shining in his eyes. A thing that you can’t describe, yet you feel like you know it. At first you thought it was just him worrying. And, at first, it was. He did worry, especially after what you did. But now there’s something else in those sockets of his every time you catch him staring, smiling, a soft tint of purple on his cheekbones.

It made you wonder if he liked you. As more than just a friend. And it made you wonder if you liked him as more than just a friend.

Maybe it was the way that your face was so scrunched up in thought that your grandfather, Alfred, approached you. You were home with both grandparents, Gaster helping your grandmother with dinner, and you were sitting in the living room watching television but not really watching it. Alfred sat next to you, patting your knee.

“Having fun battling your thoughts?” He smiled. “What’s on your mind, kiddo?”

“A lot,” you sigh. “Papa, how do you find out when someone likes you?”

“They tell you.” You lightly elbow him.

“You know what I mean, jerk. How do you tell if they _like you_ like you.” You can’t help but glance back into the kitchen when you say that, and Alfred follows your gaze.

“Hopin’ your skeleton friend don’t hear ya?” He lightly nudges you when your cheeks turn a light pink. “Walk with me, let’s find a more private spot.” You stand with him and follow him to the backyard. Some of the flowers are blooming early. You sit with him on some lawn chairs.

“Alright, kiddo. Let me tell you about a little thing called love,” he starts. “Some like to think that love at first sight is a thing, but it ain’t. It takes time, it’s a struggle, it takes both people wanting to be in the relationship. Some last for _years_ while others last only a few months, maybe a few days if it’s that bad.” He crosses his arms and strokes his beard.

“Love is complicated. You gotta be there for your significant other at their best _and_ their worst. You gotta love their good and their bad, and try to help ‘em through it.”

“But… how do you know that you… well, love someone?”

“Well, it’s different for everyone, kiddo.” He sighs and leans back into his chair.

“What about you and Nana? How did you know you loved her?”

He smiles, and something shines in his eyes, just like it did with Gaster’s. Slowly, you started connecting the dots. “It took me… oh, two—three years I think? We were friends before we were lovers. We weren’t the type of friends that would always have something to talk about, though. We would just enjoy each other’s company, even if neither us of said a word for hours.” His smile couldn’t get any bigger, any warmer, as he thought fondly of his wife. “And as time passed, we grew closer. And then one day… kiddo, let me tell you, one day there was just a certain way she laughed—and she had the cutest little snort when she laughed too—that I realized she was the one I wanted to be with for the rest of my life.”

He scoots closer to your chair and pats your knee. “See, kiddo. Love can happen in a few days, which might only last for a few days or longer if you play your cards right when the puppy love wears off, or it can happen much later. After you get past all the barriers, the boundaries, when there’s nothing but complete and utter trust between you two, _that’s_ when you realize you love them.”

“And what was it like for you when you realized you were in love with Nana?”

Alfred chuckles, “I was smiling like an idiot, let me tell you. And I felt nothin’ but pride, nothin’ but joy when I saw her smiling.”

You look back to the door, and think of Gaster again, of the way he’d look at you, smile at you. You thought of how he would be close. Always, always waiting for permission before initiating. And now, for some reason, you felt your chest tightening, your heart fluttering the minute you think of his smile, the tired look in his sockets, his warm, soft hands perfectly fitting into yours.

“Just so you know, kiddo,” Alfred says, snapping you out of your thoughts. “I approve.”

Boy, if your face wasn’t red before, it sure is now. You were sputtering and flailing to hide your face. Alfred just laughed, “I know that look too well, kiddo. And I’ve seen the way he looks at you, too. Pretty sure he feels the same way.”

“I… I just don’t know…” You look away, staring at the blooming flowers. You really don’t know if you were worthy of that kind of attention. Especially from someone like Gaster.

You didn’t have long to linger on those thoughts as both Bertha and Gaster step out to tell you dinner is ready. You help set the table, noticing a lot more things from your skeleton friend now. His looks, the way he’d fidget and hesitate, wanting to help you, wanting to stay close but also respect your space. Part of you longed for the closeness, but another part wasn’t sure how to feel.

You sat next to him during dinner. You ate, you talked, you laughed and told stories with your family. You helped with the dishes and putting away leftovers, and you turned in for the night. And by that, it really means you stayed up reading and doing practice doodles for the next few hours. You didn’t even notice how late it was until you got up to get more water.

As you step out of your room to go to the kitchen, you notice the light to Gaster’s room was still on. You peek inside, noticing him sitting at his desk, browsing the internet on a laptop your grandparents lent to him. You smile and step inside.

“Having fun avoiding sleep?” Gaster didn’t even jump when you spoke. He chuckled tiredly at your playful tone. You step closer and place a hand on his shoulder. His hand covers yours. It’s warm. It’s nice.

**[Just not tired, my darling.]**

“You look exhausted.” You squeeze his shoulder. “And it’s really late.”

 **[Ah, is it? Forgive me, sometimes I forget that time works properly now.]** Again, he chuckles. He looks at you now, and it’s clear on his face that he _wants_ to sleep, but probably can’t. Nightmares, maybe?

“Want me to read to you?” You offer with a small smile. His own grows, and he nods. You step away for just a short moment to grab your favorite book, and return to his room. He removes his coat and hangs it up in the closet, then you pull him over to his bed. The two of you find a comfy position with you nestled in his hold, and you can’t help but think that it just feels… right.

You read to him your favorite story about a young girl going through a destroyed world where nature grew back, trying to find her parents, and being chosen by a powerful deity to set things right. The girl meets a cursed man, and in time, they become friends. Siblings, even. As you read and read, Gaster eventually falls asleep with you wrapped up in his arms.

You manage to carefully set the book aside on the night stand and carefully peel yourself free long enough to turn the lights and laptop off. As you lay back down beside him and are embraced again, you simply lay there for a moment to watch him, to think.

Maybe… maybe you do feel something—like more than just friendship—for him. Should you talk to your other friends about this? What if they get the wrong idea? What if _you_ have the wrong idea and it really just was a friendship thing? You just don’t know… but you know you should take to someone else about it besides your grandfather. Maybe Grillby? Or even Asgore? Maybe Asgore. You should give him a call and see if he has time tomorrow.

With your plan in mind, you stay up for just another minute to listen to the ever so quiet hum coming from Gaster’s chest, allowing that to lull you to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're actually getting pretty close to the end of the fic believe it or not


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna chat, message me on my [tumblr!](http://krazy-kaitie.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Holy shit two days later and already a new chapter what is going on

Grillby placed a cup of coffee in front of Gaster, and momentarily stepped away. Several days went by since you read to Gaster and fell asleep cuddling with him. Just the mere memory of it made his soul flutter and happily flip flop all over the place. He still remembered feeling your soul unconsciously reaching out to him, thinking of him and giving the lightest little hint of love. Questioning, doubting, unsure, but still there. Still thinking maybe, maybe, maybe.

Grillby returned to sit next to Gaster, his own cup of coffee in hand and patted his shoulder, pulling Gaster from his thoughts. ***So, old friend, how have you been?*** Grillby signs, gesturing to Gaster.

He smiles, holding the cup for the sake of simply holding it rather than drinking the coffee inside. **[Coping, re-learning, still getting used to time and solidity and… other things,]** he sighs. He takes a sip of the coffee. Just enough cream and sugar in it. Of course Grillby remembered just how Gaster liked his drinks. Grillby simply sat there patiently, quietly urging Gaster to continue.

So he did. **[Things are so different here. Now. I am simply overwhelmed by the steps we took to get here. And… well, I am proud. Of my sons, my friends, my…]** He hesitates, then says, **[My… my darling…]**

Grillby touches his shoulder. ***Gaster. How do you feel about this girl?*** Gaster knew that Grillby knew. It was clear as day. But maybe he just wanted Gaster to actually _say_ it. For himself to be able to hear what he thinks, how he feels, to truly accept his feelings for you.

 **[The girl… the human… she…]** He starts fidgeting, the nasty habit that even hundreds of years in the void couldn’t stop. **[She is… so dear to me, Grillby, I—I am unsure of what I would do should something happen to her. Such as…]** He places a hand to his chest. **[I… I—I… I l—lo…]** The words catch in his throat, but Grillby understands. He pats Gaster’s shoulder comfortingly.

 ***If you love this girl, go get her. What are you waiting for?*** He can always rely on Grillby to be his courage when he had none. To keep him grounded in situations like this.

 **[I… it is not that simple, Grillby.]** It really was, but Gaster was being stubborn. Like always. Grillby, thankfully, was having none of that.

 ***It’ll only be as simple as** **_you_ ** **want it to be. Old friend, what is truly holding you back?***

Gaster smiles a tired smile. **[So many things… I guess you could say it… doesn’t feel right to find a new love. Not after…]**

Grillby touches Gaster’s arm and pats it. He taps Gaster’s shoulder and signs, ***It’s always hard. Moving on from loving someone you held so dear to you. But it’s something that you must do in order to grow.***

 **[Grillby, how… how do you live without your loved one?]** It was a sensitive subject for sure, but Grillby was always stronger, better at this kind of thing, at accepting things and being able to move forward. Gaster always admired him for that.

 ***Not a day goes by where I don’t miss them. I just… learned to take it one day at a time.*** Grillby lowers his head, resting his forearms on his knees. They both sit there silently for a while, listening to the wind howl outside, thunder rumbling in the distance. It was going to rain soon.

Grillby lifts his hands. ***I learned… that my love would be very unhappy with me if I spent my life mourning their loss and did not learn to leave the past in the past.*** He pats Gaster’s shoulder. ***The same goes for you, Gaster. I’m sure we both know what Meg would do if she saw you like this.***

Gaster chuckles **[No doubt she would sick her Blasters at me. Yelling at me to ‘stop opening past wounds’ or to ‘stop overthinking things’ and whatnot.]**

The fire on Grillby’s head snaps and crackles, his shoulders shaking with his laughter. He signs, ***It’s always hard, but you must remember… Megrim always wanted you to be happy. She would** **_want_ ** **you to be with that girl that saved you.***

Gaster thinks of you. Of your smile, your eyes, your hair, your soft hands in his. The way you would light up and talk for hours of your goals and dreams. How you would always scrunch your nose up when you were in deep thought.

And, in turn, Gaster thought of… of her. Of Megrim. Of his dearest. He thought of what she would think, what she would say to him. Another rumble of thunder outside. Raindrops started falling. _Tick tick tick_ on the window. **[She would…]**

 ***Just so you know… and don’t tell her I told you this. Every time she mentions you, thinks of you. Her face, her soul changes. She looks happier.** **_A lot_ ** **happier.*** Gaster’s face turns a dark purple. ***Something tells me she feels the same for you. Now, I ask again… what are you waiting for?***

…

…

…

 _Tick tick tick_ went the rain on the large windowpanes of Asgore’s castle. You graciously accept the tea from him, reveling in the taste and how it made your chest warm. You both sit at the table where you first conversed with him. The two of you sat in silence, eating and sipping the tea, listening to the rain, the soft rumble of thunder.

Asgore decided to break the silence. “What did you wish to talk about, dear child?”

He was more of a father to you than your real one ever could be. You feel so comfortable to tell him almost anything, yet this… this was about his _closest friend_. What would he think? You never could know until you tried, really. You sigh, “Well… I just had a few questions about like, well, about uh… love… and… stuff…”

“Oh… oh!” Asgore leans a bit closer and smiles gently. Not teasingly, never teasingly. He knew better than to do that to you. It would have the exact opposite effect. “Has someone caught your eye? Who, if I may ask?”

“Well, see, that’s the thing. I’m… I’m not sure if I’m just overthinking it, if it’s just friendship or if it’s more.” You look out the window, at the gray, gray skies. It lights up briefly as lightning strikes far off. You look back at Asgore. “I care about him so much. And I know he cares about me, but—like—how do I know if it’s just him being a good friend or him… liking me?” You avoided using the word ‘love’ as it felt too pushy, too jumping the gun.

“Ah, see, that’s where it’s difficult.” Asgore sips his tea. “Us monsters find our mate differently than you humans. You take much longer, and sometimes the person you thought would be your life partner wasn’t the one. It takes experimentation and risk to find out if the next one is ‘the one’ as you put it.” He looks at you with a gentleness and understanding that eases much of the tension you felt. You chose right coming to Asgore for this.

“As for monsters, we simply know. In basic terms, it’s a soul thing. We find our mates much faster and know that they are our life partners within only a few days.” He strokes his beard, running his claws through it to even out some of the hairs. “Tell me, dear child. This one you have grown a fondness for. Is he a monster or a human?”

“He… uh… he’s a monster.” You don’t go too into detail about it, but your mind goes to Gaster when you say it. And you feel like the minute you think about Gaster, something in Asgore’s eyes change. They’re still gentle, it’s just more of a realization than anything. He smiles. He reaches across the table to touch your hand and squeeze it.

 _Rumble_ went the thunder. _Tick tick_ went the rain. _Thump thump thump_ went your heart.

He says, “I can say with the utmost certainty that his feelings for you are sincere.” Again, he squeezes your hand. He reaches further—the table was rather small, it was not hard for him—to pat your shoulder. “You need not worry about that, my dearest child.”

You lingered for a bit longer. It felt… strange. As though your concerns, your worries, were lifted. Asgore’s words brought more comfort to you than you ever thought they would’ve. When you left, you felt like you were walking on air. Strange. But nice.

You pull your phone out of your pocket and make a call.

“yo.”

“Hey Sans, are you busy?”

“nah, what’s up?”

“Wanna hang? I uh… wanted to talk about something. It’s nothing terrible, mind you. Just wanted to talk about something with you and Papyrus.”

“sure thing. paps gets off work soon, should be home by the time you get here.”

“Alright, I’m on my way right now.” You get in your car and take a deep breath. Then you start your car and begin the drive to Sans and Papyrus’s home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost there


End file.
